


Welcoming Noah to the Family

by Ellie226



Series: Noah's New Life [2]
Category: Glee
Genre: Age Play, Daddy Kink, Diapers, Dubious Consent, Infantilism, M/M, Non Consensual, Spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-17
Updated: 2012-10-17
Packaged: 2017-11-16 12:12:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 50,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/539282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellie226/pseuds/Ellie226
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave knows that his family isn't conventional, but he's glad that he's got some support with his new baby.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The chapters of this story occur during the events of Starting Over.

When Blaine hung up the phone, Kurt got down from the couch and hurried off to the bathroom. A moment later, he returned with his laptop. Settling back against Blaine, Kurt turned the computer on. 

Daddy watched him, wondering what he was doing until Kurt went to Etsy. “I thought you’d already done your shopping for this month.”

Kurt smiled, “It’s not for me, Daddy. We need to send Noah a present.”

Blaine gave him a look, “And why are we buying Noah a present?”

“It’s a new baby present. Or a welcome to the family present...” Kurt was busily typing away, looking at so many different things that Blaine couldn’t keep track. “He needs a stuffed animal for cuddling.”

“Uncle Dave got Noah that blanket you said he’d like. Remember? You said that he used to have a blanket.”

Kurt smiled at that; the blanket had been the thing that Noah had brought for show and tell their second week of preschool. Before he became Puck. “Yeah, he got the blanket, but Noah still needs a friend. Like I’ve got James James Morrison.”

Blaine couldn’t exactly argue with that. He’d spent a lot of time talking to Dave as the other man decorated the nursery, and they’d even gone down to help, but he hadn't thought about toys, and he was pretty sure Dave hadn't either. Blaine knew that Dave had the basics, but a stuffed animal wouldn’t hurt.

As he was thinking that, Kurt clapped. “Found it!” Turning the screen toward Blaine, Kurt smiled. “This is the one. Don’t you think he’ll like it?”

“It” was an ugly creature named Hairy Truman. With striped horns and patches of scraggly green fur, the monster was definitely, as the heading stated, unique.

Blaine looked at it skeptically, and Kurt finally waved his hand. “I know what I’m doing. We get him this. And some stories? Can we send him books too?”

Kurt looked so sweetly sincere that Blaine couldn’t help but agree. Plus, he figured that Kurt buying stuff for someone else wasn’t really breaking his shopping budget since they had only agreed upon that in order to stop Kurt’s clothing from further encroaching upon Blaine’s quarter of the closet.

“Go ahead,” he sighed, wrapping an arm around Kurt to watch what he bought for his new friend.

Somehow both the box from Amazon and Etsy arrived at Dave’s on the same day. When he brought the mail inside, he was surprised to see two boxes addressed to Noah.

“Bug, something came for you,” Daddy said, settling back onto the floor where Noah had been engrossed in playing with his blocks. The spell was broken, and Noah was back to pouting.

“What?” he asked, surly. 

Daddy ignored the tone, taking his keys to peel the tape on both boxes. “I don’t know. I didn’t order it. Looks like someone else sent presents.”

Noah sat up. He was still suspicious, but he liked presents. “Who sent ‘em? What are they?”

“I don’t know bug. They’re wrapped.” Daddy handed them over. He could tell the Amazon box was books, but he wasn’t sure about the other one. 

Noah considered the presents, finally saying, “Prob’ly Kurt and Blaine.”

“Uncle Blaine and Kurt like to shop,” Daddy agreed. “Go on and open them up, bug.”

Noah carefully peeled the wrapping paper from the books, biting his lip as he ran his fingers over the various titles.

“What have we got here?” Daddy asked, scooting so he was behind Noah and could pull the other man into his lap. He picked up the slip of paper. “Yup; it’s from Kurt and Uncle Blaine. They wanted to welcome you to the family,” he hugged Noah tightly as he said that. They were lucky they had friends who understood what he was doing.

Noah hadn’t said anything, still gently stroking the cover of one of the books. “What did they send you bug?”

“Books,” Noah said, voice quiet. “Pooh, an’ Harry Potter, an’ Where the Wild Things Are,” he smiled a little bit at the last one. “We read this in preschool.”

“You and Kurt?” Daddy asked, noticing the smile.

“Uh huh.”

“What’s in the other package?” Daddy asked.

Noah carefully peeled the paper off the other box, then lifted the lid. He startled a little when he got a glimpse of the ugly face on the stuffed animal, backing further into Daddy.

Dave reached around him, keeping one arm tightly wound at Noah’s waist. Pulling the monster out of the box, he held it up. 

“Well...that is ugly,” he finally said, at a loss. 

Noah snatched the creature away from Daddy, pulling it close to his chest protectively. “Kurt picked it out,” he murmured.

Dave smiled, “I don’t know. Those bright colors...seems like it’s maybe Uncle Blaine.”

Noah shook his head at that, moving the monster far enough away to look at it again. “Nope. Kurt helped you pick out my blanket. The blanket,” he corrected. “The blanket in the crib. It matches the blanket, so Kurt must have picked it out.”

Dave wasn’t sure about that, but Noah’s next point made him agree. “Plus, it doesn’t have a bowtie. If Uncle Blaine picked it out, it would have a bow tie. Or weird pants. Or something. This is definitely from Kurt.”

Even if Dave hadn’t agreed, he wouldn’t have kept arguing. At some point during his explanation, Noah had relaxed against Daddy, no longer holding his body stiff. Unconsciously snuggling against Dave, Daddy knew that he wasn’t going to do anything to remind Noah that he didn’t want this.


	2. The Sick Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Noah's gotten sick, and he doesn't want to meet stupid Kurt.

Dave had held Blaine and Kurt off as long as he could, and in Blaine’s defense, the other Daddy had tried to be patient. Not so much with his little boy.

“But I want to see the baby, Daddy,” Kurt had insisted, on more than one evening. “I want to help Uncle Dave! ‘m a good helper, and I will take good care of the baby.” Unspoken was the thought that this had really been mostly Kurt’s idea to begin with.

“I know baby,” Daddy had tried to placate. “We’ll go as soon as Uncle Dave says they’re ready. Remember how hard it was at first? It’s scary and embarrassing; you didn’t want people to see you then either.”

“‘m not a baby,” Kurt protested stoutly. “‘m a big boy.”

Daddy had sighed then, sitting down on the bed and beckoning his recalcitrant little boy over. “I know you’re not a baby,” he murmured, kissing Kurt. This was not the first time they’d had this argument. “You’re a big boy, but you’re Daddy’s baby, aren’t you?”

“‘m big!” Kurt insisted. “Noah’s a baby. He uses diapers, and he sleeps in a crib.”

“Kurt, I don’t like the tone you’re using,” Daddy warned. He didn’t like what Kurt was saying either, but it was the truth, if not kindly put.

“Well, you’re not list’ning good, Daddy.”

Blaine set Kurt on his feet with a swat, then pointed at the corner. “I think someone needs to think about how little boys talk to their daddies,” he instructed quietly.

“I don’t need time out!”

“Do you need a spanking?” Blaine asked severely. When Kurt shook his head, Daddy pointed again, “Then go to time out.”

Kurt stomped his way to time out, and Daddy stood up. “I’m going to the living room. Don’t move out out of that corner. I’ll let you know when your punishment is over.”

As soon as Blaine was in the living room, he pulled out his cell phone and called Dave, “Hey. How’s it going?” he asked, keeping his tone light.

“We’re not ready for you to visit yet,” Dave said, not even needing to hear the question. Noah was curled up in his lap, sucking on a bottle full of chocolate milk, and he was almost asleep. When he heard what Daddy said, he looked up with panic in his eyes.

Pulling the bottle out, he said, “No Daddy! Please no visits!”

“Baby,” Dave said, trying to soothe Noah, “I know. We’re-”

“No! I won’t be a baby in front of them!” Noah struggled, trying to get out of Daddy’s lap. “I don’t wanna!”

“I’ll call you back,” Dave said shortly, hanging up before he dropped the phone and focused on keeping Noah on his lap. “We’re not, bug. I promise. Uncle Blaine and Kurt will come to visit when we’re ready.”

Finding that his efforts to get off of Daddy’s lap were fruitless, Noah opted for the second best option. Hiding his face against Dave’s shoulder, Noah shook his head, “I don’t wanna see ‘em.”

“I know,” Daddy said quietly, rubbing Noah’s back. “We’ll invite them when you’re ready, bug. Not before. Daddy promises.”

Noah relaxed a little at that. Noah had discovered within the first 48 hours that Daddy never made promises that he didn’t follow through on. This was not always a good thing, in Noah’s opinion, but it was a fact.

“You promise,” Noah repeated softly. “I get to decide?” he asked, wanting to make sure.

“Yes,” Daddy said quietly. “I promise.”

Sniffling, Noah relaxed further, allowing Dave to cuddle him closely. Furtively, he slipped his thumb in his mouth.

“Who wants to take a nap in the big bed?” Dave asked, hugging Noah closely. When he got a nod in return, Daddy stood up and pulled Noah into his arms. Carrying the man up the stairs, Daddy got them both settled in the bed, with Oscar and Noah’s blanket. 

Blaine told Kurt to leave it alone, and the subject didn’t come up again for a few weeks. Not until the Thursday when Noah woke up with a harsh, hacking cough.

Just like Uncle Blaine had told Daddy, with sleep, food, and vitamins, Noah had gotten over the cough he’d had when he got there. This was a new one. And it sounded a lot worse.

It was early in the morning when Dave heard something and stumbled from his bed to the nursery. 

“Baby? What’s wrong?” he said, snapping on the light. Noah had nightmares fairly often, but Daddy normally got called into the nursery when that happened. He was surprised to find his little boy still asleep, sweating, and making a deep, barking, coughing noise.

Noah was still sleeping, and Daddy carefully pulled the side of the crib out, sitting next to the baby. Running his fingers over Noah’s head, Daddy murmured, “Baby? Wake up.”

It took a minute, but Noah woke up, rubbing at his face. Sitting up, he scooted himself half onto Daddy’s lap. “Don’t feel good, Daddy,” he mumbled. “And it’s too cold in here.”

Dave’s excitement about Noah’s unthinking effort to gain comfort from Daddy was outweighed by concerns about how hot Noah was. 

“What doesn’t feel good?” he said quietly, rubbing Noah’s back, gratified by Noah moving even farther into Daddy’s lap.

Coughing hard, Noah finally said, “My throat. And my head. And my chest. And my skin. My skin hurts, Daddy. Make it stop.”

“Okay baby,” Daddy comforted. “We’re going to get you some water. Do you want a bottle?” 

Noah nodded, not even debating the idea of a bottle. “Want cold water though, Daddy.”

Dave tried to put Noah back down into his crib, but the baby wasn’t having it. “No leavin’ me here.”

“Of course I’m not leaving you,” Dave reassured, pulling the baby back onto his lap. “I was just going to get you a nice bottle. Can Daddy go and do that for you, bug?”

“I come too,” Noah insisted. 

“Okay, you come too, but Daddy needs to stand up.”

Noah allowed himself to be shifted off of Daddy’s lap, although he kept one hand clenched around Daddy’s wrist. As soon as Dave was standing, Noah lifted his free hand up.

“Up, Daddy.”

“Oh, I have to give you a ride now too?” Dave gently teased, picking the boy up and resting him on one hip.

Noah didn’t bother to respond to that, resting his head on Daddy’s shoulder and sticking his thumb in his mouth. “Oscar and my blanket too please.”

Dave obligingly grabbed the requested items, getting Noah well wrapped up with his monster in hand, before he made his way down to the kitchen. He’d see how Noah did after he had some water; then, they’d have to talk about Uncle Blaine coming for a visit.

Once in the kitchen, Daddy tried to put Noah down in the rocking chair. The baby was not having it.

“Carry,” he demanded, not letting go.

Dave tried to unhook Noah’s arms, “Baby, I’m just getting you water. You’ll be able to see me the whole time.”

“Carry,” Noah repeated stubbornly.

Deciding that he should be happy that Noah was looking to him for comfort, Daddy carried the boy around the kitchen, filling a baby bottle with ice water and grabbing a glass for himself.

That accomplished, he settled them both down in the rocker and stroked Noah’s back as he tried to get the boy relaxed again. It was too early to call Blaine, and Dave was loathe to break his promise to Noah.

“Daddy?” Noah asked, looking up at Dave’s face.

Dave hugged Noah, “What’s up bug?”

“I hurt,” Noah moaned, sliding so he could rest his head on Daddy’s chest and drink his bottle. 

“I know. We’re going to wait a bit, then I’m going to call Uncle Blaine and see what he suggests.”

“But Uncle Blaine not come here? Right? Because you sayed I got to decide when,” Noah reminded, feeling very tired.

Dave nodded, “It’s your decision. I want Uncle Blaine’s opinion. If he says you have to see a doctor, I’ll see if he can recommend someone down here who understands what we’re doing.”

“I don’t wanna see a stranger,” Noah complained, sitting up. 

Daddy kept up the soothing stroking of the baby’s back, murmuring, “We’ll talk to Uncle Blaine; if he says you need to see someone, then we’ll figure something out.”

Noah shook his head stubbornly, and Daddy didn’t bother to respond. There was no reason to get into a fight about it if the baby didn’t even need a doctor.

“I not seein’ a doctor,” Noah tried.

“We’ll talk about it in a little bit. Drink your bottle.”

Noah drank the bottle, falling asleep midway through. He roused a bit when Daddy stood up, and he stayed just awake enough to object to being put back in the crib.

“No crib!” he insisted, struggling.

Dave shifted the boy, trying to keep a good grip on his body, “Hold still bug. You need to get some more sleep; it’ll help you feel better.”

“No crib!” Noah begged, “Daddddyyyyy. Stay with meeeeee.”

“So that’s how it is?” Dave asked, feeling a little bit better about the whining. “You want to sleep in Daddy’s big bed?”

“With Daddy,” Noah said firmly. 

“Okay bug, I’ll stay with you,” Dave promised, carrying the boy to his room and getting him settled on the bed. It was only 5:00. “I need to get the thermometer. Stay here.”

“Daddy,” Noah whined, trying to keep hold of Dave’s hand.

Dave tried to maneuver his way free, explaining, “I need to check your temp, baby. I’m just ducking into the bathroom. Stay here.”

“Noooooooo,” Noah whined, getting up onto his knees and reaching out for Dave. “Me too.”

If Noah hadn’t been obviously sick, Dave would have put his foot down about the no and the whining. At least, Dave would like to think he would have. But in the state the baby was in, Daddy just didn’t have it in him.

Instead, he climbed into bed beside Noah, motioning for the boy to curl up against him. Covering them both with the blankets, Daddy gently stroked Noah’s back, waiting for him to fall asleep. He’d take his temperature when he called Blaine.

The baby fell into a fitful sleep, and Daddy lay still, watching the clock. As soon as it turned to 7:00, Dave grabbed the phone.

Noah, still half asleep, gave out a little moan, “Noooo. Stay here,” he mumbled.

“I’m staying. Daddy’s not going anywhere,” Dave promised, settling back against the baby. He knew it was early, but he figured that Blaine would be up and could give him some advice. 

Blaine was up, but he could not give advice because he was in the shower. Still lounging in bed, waiting for his daddy to get out of the shower, was Kurt. Who promptly grabbed the ringing phone and practically squealed in delight when he saw who was calling.

“Hi Uncle Dave! Hi!”

“Hey Kurt,” Dave said, smiling a little. As much as he loved Noah, he had missed Kurt. “Can you get Daddy for me?”

“Why?”

Noah started coughing then, and Daddy sat them both up so he could rub the baby’s back. “Drink some water,” he instructed quietly, handing the baby bottle to the boy.

“Ooooh,” Kurt said, “Is the baby sick? Do me and Daddy get to come and visit? I wanna see the baby.”

“Noah doesn’t feel good. Is Daddy there? I need to ask him a question.”

“Daddy’s in the shower. Did you take the baby’s temperature?”

Dave felt his patience slipping. He was tired, and he really needed Blaine. “Kurt, I need you to get Daddy out of the bath. Tell him it’s Uncle Dave, and it’s an emergency.”

“This is not an emergency, Uncle Dave,” Kurt explained patiently. “Emergencies are when something important happens. The baby has a cough. Daddy said I’m not ‘llowed to just call anything an emergency to get what I want. I don’t wanna spankin’.” 

There had been an unfortunate incident the year before when Kurt used his “emergency credit card” on an unexpected sale. Daddy had disagreed that 60% off designer clothing was an emergency. He was wrong, but Kurt didn’t want to revisit that discussion.

“Kurt, just go and get Daddy. You can tell him that Uncle Dave told you to.”

“I’m not ‘posed to interrupt,” Kurt explained. 

Dave heard background noises, culminating in yelp. Then, Blaine was on the phone. “What’s up?”

Noah coughed again, and Blaine winced. “He’s caught something else? Do you need me to come down and take a look at him?”

“I don’t know,” Dave said, rubbing at Noah’s back. “I hope not. He’s still pretty adamant that he’s not ready, but I wasn’t sure what to do with him.”

“Okay,” Blaine’s voice took on the soothing tone he used at work. “Have you checked his temp yet?”

“He won’t let me put him down long enough to find the thermometer.”

“Put him on,” Blaine instructed, “then go get it. I’ll keep him calm.”

“Bug, Uncle Blaine wants to talk to you,” Daddy told Noah, handing him the phone.

Noah felt awful, and he still wasn’t entirely comfortable with the concept of Uncle Dr. Blaine. “Hi,” he murmured, shyly.

“Hi sweetheart,” Uncle Blaine said, “Daddy’s going to get the thermometer, but I need you to answer some questions for me. What hurts?”

“I don’t want Daddy to go,” Noah said, sounding a little hysterical. He clutched at Dave, who hadn’t yet managed to make his way off the bed, 

“He’s just going into the bathroom to grab the thermometer. I need you to talk to me for a minute anyway, sweetheart.”

“No!”

Blaine raised his voice, “Dave, go get the thermometer. Noah will be fine.”

“Noooooo. Daddddyyyyyyy,” Noah whined, not letting go, and Dave finally just picked him up. 

Grabbing the phone, he said, “I’m just going to take him with me. There’s no point to getting him this worked up. I’m pretty sure I can handle finding the thermometer one handed.”

Blaine thought that Dave needed to consider what he was going to do if he needed to run out and get cough syrup or anything else, but deciding it wasn’t worth the argument, he said, “Fine, but I need to talk to him.”

Dave obligingly handed the phone back over, and a subdued Noah waited, breathing heavily. He didn’t care what Uncle Blaine said; Daddy wasn’t going anywhere without him. He had promised.

“What feels icky, sweetheart?” Uncle Blaine asked, wishing that he was closer.

“Everything,” Noah said, wishing that Uncle Blaine would go away. He wanted Daddy to cuddle with him in the big bed, and he wanted juice. He didn’t want a doctor poking at him, even if it was Uncle Dr. Blaine, and he didn’t want to deal with Kurt.

“What part of everything?”

Noah whined, handing the phone over to Daddy and pressing his face to Dave’s shoulder. “No more talkin’ to Uncle Blaine, Daddy. You do it.”

“Hey. He told me that his skin hurts, and his throat, and he’s definitely got a fever and a cough.”

“You shouldn’t be letting him tell you what to do,” Blaine admonished. “It’s no good for him to think that he’s the boss.”

“He’s sick,” Dave defended, standing up and settling the baby on his hip. “He just wants cuddles.”

“You’re setting a bad precedent.”

Dave sighed, not wanting to fight with Blaine and Noah. “Uh huh. What do I need to do?”

“Take his temperature. If it’s over 102 degrees, you need to give him some tylenol, see if that brings it down. You can give him cough syrup too. Fluids and rest. Call me if his fever won’t come down or he gets worse,” Blaine said, mildly irritated. He knew what he was doing. Kurt was well behaved. Most of the time. Dave should take the advice.

“Fine. Thanks,” Dave hung up without further discussion, walking the baby into the bathroom. “Now, we need a thermometer, and then I think someone needs some tylenol,” he narrated.

Noah was tired, and he rested his head on Daddy’s shoulder, watching as Dave pulled a thermometer out of the cabinet. 

That made him tense up, “I don’t like thermom’ters.”

“Two seconds bug, that’s all,” Daddy tried to insert the thermometer as he spoke, but Noah jerked away and tried to squirm down.

“Nooooooo. No. Thank you.”

Daddy was a bit exasperated at that, but he put the baby down on the closed toilet seat lid, then squatted to make eye contact. “I’ve got to take your temp, bug; we’ll just slide it in your armpit since you’re coughing. Do you want cranberry juice, or grape? I’ll make up a bottle when we’re done.”

“Daddddddyyyyyyyyy,” Noah whined, squirming in irritation. He allowed Dave to use the thermometer, but he wanted his discontent clearly understood.

When Dave removed the thermometer, he smiled, “See? All done my Noah. You were such a good boy for Daddy.”

Noah glared at that. He didn’t like thermometers. They were cold and poky. But, angry or not, he wanted Daddy. So, even as he made ugly faces, he lifted his arms up. “Carry. Want grape please.”

Dave picked the boy up, toting him back down to the kitchen. Noah’s temperature was only 100 degrees. He’d give the boy some juice. There wasn’t any cough syrup in the house, but maybe once he got Noah settled, he could run back out.

While Dave was contemplating this, and taking care of Noah, Kurt was jumping on the bed. “The baby is sick, Daddy,” he said. “We get to go and visit now? I will help Uncle Dave take care of him.”

“No, we’re not visiting,” Daddy smiled at Kurt, trying to ignore his irritation with Dave. The other man had a right to have the rules he thought were best in his home. “The baby probably has a cold. He’ll be fine in a day or two. Should you be jumping?”

“‘m a jumpin’ bean.”

Blaine smiled, holding out his arms so he could help Kurt down. “Be a jumping bean on the ground please. Do you want breakfast?”

Kurt nodded agreeably, following Daddy out to the kitchen and sitting down with a bowl of cereal. After several bites, he asked, “Daddy? Is Uncle Dave going to take the baby’s temperature the icky way?”

“I’m sure he is sweetheart. It’s more accurate, and that’s how you check babies’ temperatures,” Daddy explained, half distracted by the newspaper.

“‘m not a baby,” Kurt objected.

“No, but it’s still more accurate, and it’s not that bad.”

Kurt disagreed with that sentiment. He didn’t like it when Daddy put the thermometer there, even if Daddy insisted that it helped him know more about how Kurt was doing. It was still icky. It did make sense for Uncle Dave to do it that way though, since Noah was a baby. Kurt was big.

Noah wasn’t a baby. At least not in his opinion. Grown ups could like cuddles too! As he settled himself back into Daddy, bottle in his mouth, he was contemplating how very adult it was to want comfort when someone didn’t feel well. That didn’t make him a baby.

Dave was carding his fingers through Noah’s hair, not wanting to enjoy having the baby sick quite as much as he was. He couldn’t help it though. Although Noah was cuddly, he always stopped as soon as he realized he was doing it. Defenses down, he didn’t want Dave to go anywhere.

So they sat, cuddled together, while Noah drank his grape juice. The cough was pretty bad though, and Daddy really thought cough syrup would help. Forcing Noah to sit up, Dave tried to slide out from behind him.

“I need to get some cold medicine for you, bug. Do you want anything while I’m at the store?”

“Don’t go!” Noah clung, even as part of him realized he was being ridiculous. Daddy hadn’t left him, at least not while Noah was awake, since they’d started. In spite of the fact that Noah was starting to think that Dave was seriously in this, he couldn’t help but worry that Dave was planning on leaving.

“Bug, you need it. I don’t want you keeping yourself awake with coughing,” Dave tried to reason. “I’ll be gone for 20 minutes. That’s it. When I come back, we can cuddle on the couch and watch cartoons.”

Noah didn’t release. He knew how this went. He was too much work and too much trouble, and he never should have let his guard down, but he needed Dave now. “Nooooooooo. Staaaaayyyyyy.”

Dave sighed, sitting down, “Baby...”

“No. Leaving.” Noah stated emphatically, crawling into Daddy’s lap. “You stay here.”

It was going to cost a fortune to have groceries delivered with no notice, but Dave didn’t want to leave Noah when he was finally getting somewhere. “I need my computer. Can you sit here by yourself while I get it?”

Noah wasn’t falling for that trick. If he let Daddy go, he’d be out the door and gone, and then there would be no one to rub Noah’s back and make sure he ate. Wrapping arms around Daddy’s neck, Noah yawned as he said, “I come too.”

“I have to carry you?” Daddy asked, smiling. He couldn’t help it! Noah was too damn adorable at the moment, and it couldn’t be that bad to give the poor, sick baby what he wanted. “I need you off of my lap so I can stand up though.”

Noah reluctantly slid from Dave’s lap, even as he kept his arms tightly wound around the other man’s neck. 

“Baby, let Daddy stand up,” Dave ordered.

“I am!”

Dave rolled his eyes, taking Noah’s hands and trying to slip out from underneath. “I’m not going anywhere,” he reassured, even as Noah began clenching tighter.

“No. Nooooo! No leaving me here by myself!”

“I’m not!” Dave said, feeling helpless. Clingy, cuddly Noah was less adorable at the moment, and Dave felt badly that he had so obviously scared the baby. “I just need to stand up. Will you hold Daddy’s hand while I do that?”

Pulling Dave closer, Noah kept on arm wrapped around Daddy as he let his other hand slide down to grip the offered hand tightly. That accomplished, he let go of Daddy’s neck, although that hand quickly grabbed at Daddy’s tee-shirt so the other man couldn’t leave.

Dave slowly stood up, not wanting to spook the boy, then hoisted him onto a hip. “See? Daddy doesn’t leave? Not ever. You’re completely stuck with me,” he reassured, starting toward the office where he’d left his laptop. He settled them both into the armchair, turning the computer on and quickly starting a new grocery order.

The rush fee was going to be $25, on top of the normal delivery fee, so Dave figured he should get everything he could possibly need. Soup, popsicles, ginger ale, more juice (Noah interjected, “Not orange! Grape!”), another thermometer, cold medication, tylenol...he really hadn’t been prepared for anyone to get sick.

“Do you want anything else, my Noah?” Daddy murmured, nuzzling the poor baby.

Noah had started to drowse again, tired from cough. Sniffling, he mumbled, “Want noodles. With butter.”

Comfort food. That made sense. Dave added kleenex too, then threw in pudding. Noah wasn’t asking for it, but Dave figured that it wouldn’t hurt the baby’s throat. Cringing at the number on the screen, Dave requested the last few items, figuring that he should only do this once, then ordered.

“All done. See? Daddy isn’t leaving,” he said, setting Noah on his wobbly feet. “Do you want cartoons?”

Noah blinked blearily at Dave. He was tired. Didn’t Daddy see that he was tired? Before he could come up with an answer that was a little more grown up than, ‘I need a nap,’ Daddy was up and picking him up.

“New plan. I think my Noah needs to take a snooze. Crib or couch, sweetheart?”

“No crib!”

Dave was starting to think that this was going to be Noah’s new version of, ‘’m not a baby, and I don’t need you!’, but he obligingly got Noah settled onto the couch, snugly ensconced in the afghan as well as Noah’s blanket, Oscar snuggled in too.

Crouching beside the couch, Daddy said calmly, “I’m going to get you some ice water for your throat.”

Noah struggled to unwind himself at that, but Daddy had him pretty thoroughly swaddled. He began crying, furious that he had allowed Dave to trick him, and too tired and worn out to keep the tears at bay.

Dave forced himself to keep going, “You can see me the whole time, and I’ll be right back. You don’t need to cry; stay here,” kissing Noah’s forehead, Daddy stood up and started toward the kitchen. 

Filling a baby bottle with ice water, Dave grabbed another grape juice bottle as well, then returned to the living room, where Noah had finally managed to unwind enough that he could roll off of the couch. 

Daddy rolled his eyes, picking the boy up and putting him on the couch with a gentle swat, “Stay here meant stay here.”

Noah burst into tears at that, ugly sobs that had him coughing even more, and Dave pulled the boy into his lap. Rubbing his back, Daddy turned on the television and muted it.

“I know, my Noah. It’s no fun being sick,” he crooned, unhappy that the baby was so upset. “You’ll feel better soon, and we’ll have lots of fun.”

“No leaving me!” Noah choked out, squeezing Dave even tighter.

“I’m not leaving,” Dave told him. “Daddy doesn’t leave his Noah. Not ever. Not ever ever. Not even if you wanted to me too. Not even if you yelled at me, or you were naughty, or you said you hated me. You are completely, and 100% stuck.”

It took a while, but Noah’s tears slowed, and he allowed Dave to hold the water while he drank. As he began to drop off, Noah mumbled, “Not never leaving me,” as though he were checking.

Daddy hugged him, shifting the boy into a more comfortable position for sleeping. “Nope. Not ever leaving my Noah. Close your eyes and rest; I won’t go anywhere.”

Receiving the reassurance that he needed, Noah allowed himself to fall asleep, one hand entangled firmly in Daddy’s shirt, the thumb on his left hand slowly drifting to his mouth.

Dave woke him up several hours later, concerned by the heat that seemed to be radiating off of the boy. 

“Wake up, bug,” Daddy murmured, “I need to take your temp again.”

“Sleepy, Daddy,” Noah mumbled, sniffling.

Dave smiled, “I know, my Noah. But it’ll only take a couple of minutes. Do you want some more juice? Would that feel good on your throat?”

The doorbell rang then, bringing Noah further out of his nap. “Don’t leave!”

“I’m not leaving,” Dave reassured. “It’s just the groceries. I’ll grab them. Do you want to come with me?”

Noah bit his lip, unsure. He didn’t want someone else seeing him like this. Especially since he was in one of the fleecy sleepers. They were warm, but they had feet! Noah didn’t want anyone seeing him like that.

The doorbell rang again, and Daddy stood up, shifting Noah onto his hip. “I need to get that, or we won’t have any food. Don’t you want soup?”

“You won’t leave?” Noah asked, sounding very uncertainly and very young.

“I won’t leave. Daddy doesn’t leave,” Dave said patiently. It was a frequent conversation, especially when his baby had nightmares.

“Promise,” Noah insisted.

Settling the boy back onto the couch, Daddy crouched, ignoring the doorbell. “Daddy won’t ever leave you. Promise.”

“I can wait here,” Noah said, sounding uncertain.

Daddy nodded at that, kissing Noah’s forehead firmly. He was concerned by the heat, but he focused on getting the groceries as quickly as he could. After tipping the deliveryman, he hurried back to the couch, where Noah was coughing, tears streaming down his face.

“Oh, bug,” Daddy murmured, sitting down on the couch and pulling the man into his lap. “That’s a bad cough.”

“Hurts, Daddy. Don’t feel good,” Noah mumbled, resting his head against Daddy’s chest. Dave had gone to the door, but he hadn’t left. 

“I know. Let’s take your temperature, then you can have a popsicle. Do you think that would feel good?”

“Did you get lemon popsicles?” 

“No baby. I didn’t know you liked lemon. We’ve got grape though. Sit up, Daddy needs to take your temp.” 

Noah whined, clutching at Daddy as he was forced to sit up, and the cold and poky thermometer was slid under his arm again. The news was not good.

“101.5, buddy. Uncle Blaine said you had to take medicine if it got above 101.” Dave rifled through the bags, pulling out tylenol and cough syrup. “What do you want first?”

“No cough syrup,” Noah objected.

Daddy ignored that, pouring cough syrup into a cup and cracking open the bottle with tylenol in it. “Swallow,” he instructed handing over the pills first. Noah swallowed those without any real complaint, but he balked at the cough syrup.

“Yuck.”

“Baby, you need it. I got you grape flavored,” Dave wheedled.

“Nu uh, Daddy. I not drinkin’ it.” Noah pressed his mouth against Daddy’s shoulder. Cough syrup was gross.

Dave sighed, “I’m afraid you are, my Noah. You need it. Come on, swallow it quick, and you won’t taste it even.”

Noah shook his head obstinately. It didn’t matter how quickly you swallowed cough syrup. It coated your mouth in the worst flavor on Earth.

Dave knew that Noah was feeling sick, and he was willing to put up with some behavioral problems. But flat out defiance was not going to be acceptable. As much as Dave wanted to let it slide, he knew that Noah wouldn’t be sick forever.

Forcing Noah to his feet, Dave gave him a stern look. “Drink it, bug, or I’m going to smack your bottom. Do you want a spanking?”

“I’m sick!” Noah coughed pitifully.

“And I’m trying to help you feel better, but I need you to work with me sweetheart. Come on, don’t give Daddy a hard time. Please?”

Noah took the medicine cup in his hand, feeling a little guilty. He didn’t want to give Daddy a hard time. He knew that Dave was trying to help. With a shudder, he lifted the cup to his mouth and gulped it down quickly, gagging.

“Icky,” he whined, sitting back in Dave’s lap.

Daddy smiled at that, kissing Noah’s forehead again. “I know, my Noah. You are trying so hard for me though, and I really appreciate it. Do you want a popsicle?”

Sniffling, Noah nodded, taking the offered treat. He slowly licked at the popsicle. It did feel good on his throat.

“Daddy needs to put the groceries away. Are you going to come into the kitchen to watch, or do you want to see some cartoons instead?”

“Me too,” Noah whispered, miserable. 

He forced Daddy to carry him into the kitchen, although he deigned to be settled into the armchair where they cuddled when he had bottles. Holding Oscar, wrapped in his special blanket, Noah watched Daddy put everything away and ate his popsicle.

That task accomplished, Daddy returned to the chair and knelt in front of Noah. “Do you want some lunch? I got soup delivered.”

“Chicken?”

“With noodles.”

Noah nodded, watching as Dave quickly heated up the soup and brought it back over in a mug. “Can Daddy sit down too, bug? We can cuddle while you try to have some soup?”

That sounded like a good plan to Noah, and he stood up, allowing Dave to sit down. Then, curling into the man’s lap, Noah allowed himself to be spoon fed from the mug. 

The soup felt even better on Noah’s throat than the popsicle had, and he was feeling relatively comfortable by the time lunch was over. 

That was good, in Daddy’s opinion, because it was time to call Uncle Blaine, and Dave was nervous that he was about to get news that Noah was not going to like.

“We have to call the doctor, bug,” he explained, taking his phone out.

“No Uncle Blaine comin’ to see me though,” Noah said.

“Not if you don’t want him to, but if he says a doctor needs to see you, then that’s what’s going to happen.”

“Nooooooo,” Noah whined.

Dave rubbed his back, “We’ll talk to Uncle Blaine, and then we’ll figure it out. No reason to get upset, my Noah.”

“I don’t like doctors.”

Dave nodded, “I know. Don’t worry about it though. Do you want to watch TV while I talk to Uncle Blaine?”

“But no letting him come here,” Noah checked, even as he stood up, feeling stiff.

“No letting him come here without you saying so, I promise. Let’s get you and Oscar settled on the couch, and then I’ll talk to Uncle Blaine.”

Noah nodded, allowing himself to be tucked in. Daddy turned on the television, finding old episodes of ‘X-Men’, then he gave Noah another kiss and handed him a new bottle of juice.

“Be my good boy and drink this. Daddy’s just going to be-”

Noah interrupted him, clutching at his hand, “Don’t go!”

Dave had thought that he had convinced Noah that he wasn’t going anywhere, but apparently not. Sitting on the edge of the couch, he pushed hair off of Noah’s face.

“I’m not going anywhere. I was going to sit in the chair in the kitchen, but I’ll stay here if you want me to.”

“Daddy stay,” Noah ordered, sitting up enough that Dave could slide in. Resting his head in Daddy’s lap, he returned to his show. “You can call Uncle Blaine now.”

Dave rolled his eyes, quickly dialing the number, then raising the phone to his ear. “Hey, he’s still sick, and his fever’s higher.”

It wasn’t Dave’s day. Kurt had answered Daddy’s phone again, “The baby’s still sick?”

“Honey, go get Daddy for me. Please.”

“Daddy’s busy,” Kurt explained. Dave could hear him shifting, and he stifled a sigh. He knew the sounds of Kurt settling in for a long conversation. “Did the baby get mad when you took his temperature?”

“Kurt, go get Daddy. Now.”

“He’s doing somethin’. You tell Noah, it’s icky, but that’s the best way to take a baby’s temperature.”

“Kurt Elizabeth! Go get Daddy.”

“But Uncle Daaaaavvvveeee,” Kurt whined. “Daddy is busy. Don’t you want to talk to me no more?”

“KURT!” Dave was generally very patient with the little boy, but he just didn’t have it in him today. The baby was sick, and he needed to talk to a doctor.

Blaine chose that moment to walk in, and he stalked over to Kurt and grabbed his phone. Checking the caller ID, he answered.

“Hey. Hold on a minute,” then pressed the phone to his shoulder. Giving Kurt a look, he was gratified to see the little boy hop off the couch and run back to his corner. “Sorry,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Someone decided that his time out was over.”

“Been in time out forever,” Kurt grumped, arms crossed over his chest.

“And you’ll be there until I tell you otherwise,” Blaine shot back, thoroughly fed up. When he didn’t get a response, he focused back on his call. “How’s Noah doing?”

“101.5. I gave him cough syrup and tylenol, but he seems really hot, Blaine.”

“How recently did you check his temp?” 

“Right before I fed him lunch. Really, he’s burning up.”

Blaine’s brow furrowed. 101.5 wasn’t that high. It was a fever, but it wasn’t awful. “Are you sure the thermometer works?”

“It’s the same one I always use.”

“What do you mean, the one you always use. You can’t use your regular thermometer with him. Rectal thermometers are rounded.”

“What do you mean, rectal thermometers? Why would I use a rectal thermometer?”

Noah was drowsing, and he didn’t hear what they were discussing. Dave was grateful for that tiny bit of luck.

“Because it’s more accurate. How have you been taking his temperature? He’s coughing.”

“Under his arm?” Dave said, feeling overwhelmed.

“It was 101.5 like that?” Blaine asked, beginning to rush around the apartment. “He needs to see a doctor. Today. That’s like 103.5. You can’t do underarm temperatures anymore; they’re completely inaccurate.”

“Do you know someone down here? Someone who will get our situation?” Dave asked, trying to keep his voice calm. He didn’t want Noah panicking.

Tone didn’t really matter now. Noah began struggling, trying to sit up. “No doctor! No doctor, Daddy! I don’t wanna see a doctor! You said!”

Blaine could hear what was happening, and he sat down, waiting. Dave tried to calm the baby down.

“I said not if you didn’t need to. Uncle Blaine says you have to see a doctor, so that’s what’s going to happen.”

“No no no no no! I don’t want to see a doctor.”

“Baby,” Dave said, feeling awful. He helped Noah sit up, then made eye contact, “Uncle Blaine says you need to see one. So, do you want to see him, or he’ll recommend someone. What’s a better plan?”

Noah tried to squirm free, fully intending to stomp off. Dave was being completely unfair! He didn’t want to see a doctor.

“Noah,” Dave said, sharpening his voice. He knew Noah was unhappy, but he had to see a doctor. “You need to make a decision.”

Recognizing the futility of twisting away, Noah stopped trying, opting instead to pull his feet up on the couch and hide his face.

“Baby? What do you want?” Dave asked quietly.

Noah’s voice was muffled as he muttered, “I don’t know. I don’t wanna see a doctor.”

“I promised no Uncle Blaine until you were ready, so it’s okay if we need to find someone else,” Dave explained.

Noah looked up at that, then quickly hid his face again, “I don’t want someone else to see me being little.”

“Okay. So you want Uncle Blaine?” Daddy asked, pulling Noah into his lap.

“Will Kurt come too?” Noah asked, not making eye contact.

Dave kissed the nape of his neck, worried about the heat he felt. “If you say no Kurt, then we’ll tell Uncle Blaine that.”

Uncle Blaine was waiting on the other end of the phone, and he silently called Kurt to him, snapping his fingers then beckoning. The other man hurried over, crawling into Daddy’s lap. 

“Dave,” Blaine said, “Call me back when you figure it out, okay? Kurt and I will hang out at home, until you call back.”

“Alright,” Dave responded, hanging up. “Come on baby, we need to make a decision. Is this too big of a choice for you?”

“I don’t know!”

Dave nodded at that, deciding to give Noah a minute. He knew the baby had to be wet at this point anyway. “Baby, let’s get you a clean diaper.”

Noah shook his head hard, starting to cry. “No Daddy! No!”

“Honey, it’s just a wet diaper. Come on,” Dave put Noah on his feet, then stood up, hoisting the boy onto one hip so they could go up to the nursery.

“No!”

Dave got Noah up to the nursery, then dumped him on the changing table. “Noah! Stop! I don’t know what the problem is, but you need a clean diaper, or you’re going to get a rash.”

“I don’t wanna doctor!”

As Dave tried to get Noah calmed down enough to discuss things rationally, Blaine found himself with a similarly distraught little boy.

“Why don’t Uncle Dave wanna see me no more?” Kurt cried.

Blaine had been planning on discussing Kurt’s decision to end time out early, but he couldn’t bring himself to spank when the boy was so obviously upset.

“He wants to see you, sweetheart. Uncle Dave is just busy right now with the baby. Once everything gets settled, we’ll go down and see them.”

Kurt continued crying. Uncle Dave had been his best babysitter! Okay, Uncle Dave had been his only babysitter, but that didn’t matter. Kurt had thought Uncle Dave getting a baby was a good idea, but now Uncle Dave didn’t love his Kurt anymore, and that was awful.

Blaine tried to get Kurt to calm down, but he finally decided to simply put the boy down for a nap. Kurt clutched at him, and Daddy lay down as well.

“No going to see Uncle Dave without me,” Kurt begged, hands fisted in Daddy’s shirt.

Blaine wasn’t sure where this was coming from, but he nodded. He might be a doctor, but he was also a daddy. If Dave wasn’t okay with Kurt coming too, then Blaine would simply recommend a different doctor.

Closing his eyes, Blaine drifted off to sleep with Kurt. Dave would call once they came to a decision.

Dave changed his baby, then they settled together in the rocking chair. Setting up a soothing rhythm, he rubbed Noah’s back and allowed the boy to relax for a few minutes.

He couldn’t let it go too long. He could feel the heat that was radiating off of the baby, and they needed to make a decision.

“I need you to make a choice, bug. Do you want Uncle Blaine to come down to take a look at you, or do you want someone here to be your doctor?”

“No doctor,” Noah said. It was hard to take the adamant tone seriously when the words were spoken around his thumb.

Dave kept rocking, saying firmly, “Yes doctor. Is this too big of a choice for you, bug?”

Noah whined, wiggling with irritation, and Dave kept talking, “I’m going to count to three, and you need to make a decision. If you don’t, then I’m going to decide.”

“Dadddddyyyyyyyyyy.”

Dave forced himself to count, “One.”

“Not faaaaaaiiiiiir.”

“Two. Last shot sweetheart. If you have a preference, you need to let Daddy know.”

“I don’t WANT to see a doctor.”

“Three,” Dave finished. Rubbing Noah’s back, he gave him one last chance. “Have you made up your mind, bug?”

“No. Doctor.”

Dave nodded at that, telling Noah, “We’re going to call Uncle Blaine, and he’s going to come and make you feel better.”

“Daaadddddyyyyyy,” Noah whined.

“I know, my baby. You don’t feel good. Uncle Blaine is going to fix you up though.”

“Don’t WANT to be fixed up!” Noah complained, edging toward a tantrum.

Dave nodded, still rocking. “Okay. Are you going to take a nice nap, or are you coming downstairs with me while I call Uncle Blaine?”

“No Uncle Dr. Blaine!” 

“Crib it is,” Dave replied, acting as though he couldn’t hear the complaints.

Noah clutched at Daddy at that, tears welling up, “Daddy don’t leave!”

“You want to come downstairs?” Dave asked.

Noah kept a tight grip on Daddy, “No leavin’ me.”

“Okay,” Dave soothed. “Daddy’s not going anywhere. Does that mean you want to come downstairs with me?”

“Yes,” Noah admitted. “And no Uncle Dr. Blaine, please.”

“You can come downstairs, and I’m going to call Uncle Blaine. Sorry, bug. You need to see a doctor.”

Noah allowed himself to be picked up and carried down the stairs. When Daddy pulled another bottle out of the cupboard, Noah whined and pressed his face to Dave’s shoulder.

“No more juice, Daddy. Too much! I’m not firsty no more!”

“Juice or water,” Daddy told him, stopping and waiting for an answer.

“No more drink! I don’t want it!”

Dave serenely filled a bottle with a mix of half juice and half water, then he shook it. “Here you go, my Noah. Shall we sit in the rocker, or are you going to hang out in your playpen while Daddy calls Uncle Blaine?”

Noah’s only response to Dave’s question was to clutch at Daddy tighter, and Dave calmly sat down in the rocking chair. Wrapping Noah up tightly in his blanket, and sliding Oscar between them, Daddy began rocking slowly. The way Noah’s eyes were drooping, he’d be asleep soon. That would give Daddy time to talk to Uncle Blaine. 

Within 15 minutes, Noah was sound asleep, snoring quietly. His thumb was resting in his mouth, and Dave couldn’t help but feel that familiar tingle he always got when Noah was being particularly adorable. He snapped a quick picture with his cell phone, thinking that the reminder would be helpful when Noah was being a brat.

That accomplished, Daddy called Blaine, waking the other man up. Blaine carefully stood up, scooting away from Kurt, who was still napping.

“Hey. Did you come up with a plan?”

Dave sighed softly, smiling at his sleeping boy. “He won’t agree to you coming, but he won’t agree to another doctor. I told him that since he couldn’t decide, you were going to come to see him.”

“How’d that go?” Blaine couldn’t help but be impressed by Dave putting his foot down.

Dave rocked, thinking, then said, “He was almost relieved to not have to make a decision. I think this is good for him.”

Blaine felt familiar long arms wrapping around his neck. “Hi baby,” he murmured, tilting his head to kiss Kurt.

“Is good for him,” Kurt told Blaine. “Is ‘zactly what baby Noah needed,” he added smugly.

“Okay baby, you were right. Go pack a weekend bag.”

Kurt clapped, racing back to the bedroom. When Dave was fairly certain that he was far away, he asked, “Is there any way that you could maybe leave him at home? Noah is really nervous.”

“Sorry,” Blaine replied. “Package deal. I get it, but Kurt was devastated earlier. He kept asking why you don’t want to see him anymore. I’ll recommend someone else if you think that works better, but I can’t leave him here, Dave.”

Daddy reluctantly agreed that it was better for Noah to see Uncle Blaine, even if it meant some awkwardness with Kurt, then to have to meet a complete stranger. After working out a few details and sharing more information, Dave hung up.

Looking down at the boy in his lap, Daddy murmured, “We’ll be fine. You’re going to like little Kurt.”

Back at the apartment, Blaine ambled back into the bedroom, unsurprised to see that Kurt had quickly laid out enough clothes for a long weekend. He was more surprised to see that Kurt had found his doctor’s kit, and was wearing his pretend stethoscope.

Grateful that Kurt had opted to use the pretend doctor’s kit, Blaine smiled at him, “Are you going to be a doctor too?”

“‘m a nurse. ‘m a good helper, Daddy. ‘m gonna help with the baby,” Kurt explained.

Blaine was pretty sure that wasn’t going to go over well with the baby, but he figured that they needed to go regardless. Noah would get used to Kurt.

It only took about an hour to get from their home to Dave’s, and all three of the men were familiar with the journey. Blaine was happy that they happened to catch a train quickly, and they were at Dave’s door less than two hours after their conversation.

Nobody answered when they knocked, and Blaine simply pulled out his keys. Dave’s home was his and Kurt’s designated meeting place, if something happened in New York, and both men carried keys for it. Blaine often thought that Kurt was more comfortable here than he was at home.

Unlocking the door, he stepped inside, keeping Kurt just behind him, “Hello?” he called softly.

“We’re in here,” Dave called back, trying to stay quiet enough to keep Noah from waking. He was unsuccessful, and the other man began struggling.

“No Daddy! No Daddy! No Daddy No!” he mumbled, wound tightly in a blanket. He tried to squirm away from Dave to no avail, and he finally burst into tears, allowing Dave to move him so that his head was against Daddy’s shoulder. “No Daddy! I don’t wanna see a doctor! I feel better! Tell Uncle Blaine to go away!”

“Oh, sweetpea! That’s no way to greet me, is it?” Blaine asked gently, squatting beside the rocker and running a hand over Noah’s hair. Kurt hung back, watching the scene with interest.

Noah refused to lift his face to look at Blaine, mumbling, “Go ‘way. ‘m fine now.”

Dave smiled at that, struggling to his feet. “Sorry. Somebody’s a little bit cranky today. Where did you want to examine him?”

“Not ‘xamining me,” Noah muttered, wiggling a bit, “an’ I’m not bein’ cranky! ‘m just sick!”

“Thought you felt better,” Blaine teased. Looking at Dave, he said, “I think that the nursery would work? Either that or your bedroom. I need someplace where he can lay out flat.”

“NO!” Noah shrieked, wriggling harder. 

Dave felt badly, but he reached up and swatted the baby. “Enough, Noah. That’s entirely enough. Uncle Blaine’s going to examine you, and then he’s going to tell me what to do to make you feel better, and we’re not going to have any more fussing about it.”

Noah had fallen silent at the swat, shocked. Dave had just finished his lecture when the wailing started up. “You hitted me! ‘m sick and you hitted me! Not! Fair! Dad! Dy! No hittin’ your Noah when he’s sick!”

“Excuse us for a minute,” Dave said, walking Noah up to the nursery. He set the boy, still complaining, on his feet, and then led him to the rocking chair. Pulling Noah between his knees, he fixed the man with a very stern look.

Noah stopped complaining then, bursting into tears. “You hitted me!” he choked out.

“Stop,” Daddy warned, voice firm. “That’s enough. I know you’re upset, but we’re done with the tantrums. Got it?”

Sobbing, Noah jerked away and climbed into his crib, covering himself up with his blanket. “Go ‘way. I don’t love you no more.”

If he thought that was going to work, he was very mistaken. Dave simply followed him to the crib, kneeling down so he was at the same level as Noah, and peeling the blanket away. 

“That’s too bad, but I still love you. And even if you hate my guts, Uncle Blaine is still taking a look at you, baby, and you are going to behave for him, or we’re going to have problems. Do you understand?”

Noah struggled with the blanket, finally giving up with a whine and flopping onto his stomach so he could smush his face into the pillow. “Go ‘way.”

“I will not go away, Noah Aaron, not now or ever, and all these fits are going to get you is a spanking before we have Uncle Blaine help you feel better. Is that what you want?”

“Go. ‘WAY!”

Dave was done. He’d made more than enough efforts to bring Noah around to this, and he wasn’t going to do anything. Placing one restraining hand on the middle of Noah’s back, Daddy proceeded to pepper the backs of his pajama clad legs with hard smacks.

“You don’t yell at Daddy, and you don’t tell him what to do,” he lectured. “Are you ready to behave yourself now, or do you need a little less clothing while we continue this discussion?”

“Be good,” Noah mumbled, still crying. He was already sore, and now Daddy was smacking at him, which was not fair.

“Alright then. Thank you,” Dave said, allowing Noah a minute of gentle patting on his very well padded backside before he forced the boy up. “We’re going to let Uncle Blaine take a look at you, and there’s not going to be more arguing today, is there?”

Noah wouldn’t make eye contact. Wrapping the blanket tightly around himself, and holding onto Oscar for all he was worth, Noah shook his head. “No sir,” he mumbled.

“Thank you,” Daddy ran his fingers through Noah’s hair. “You’re still my favorite boy, even if you hate me, and just because I don’t like the behavior I’m seeing, doesn’t mean that I don’t love you. I know you don’t feel good.”

Noah tensed up tighter, made uncomfortable by Dave’s...daddiness. It wasn’t right. Leaning forward, Noah buried his face against Daddy’s shoulder and mumbled something.

“What was that, bug?”

He muttered something indistinct, ending with, “makin’ fun of me.”

“Nobody’s going to make fun of you,” Dave reassured, wondering what part he’d missed.

Noah forced himself to sit up, although he still didn’t make eye contact. “No Kurt makin’ fun of me?”

“If Kurt makes fun of you,” Daddy said, “he’s going to get his little butt smacked. And Uncle Blaine is a very hard spanker. You don’t need to worry about Kurt being mean to you; you just let me or Uncle Blaine know if there’s a problem.”

Noah nodded, leaning back against Daddy, and Dave allowed him a few moments of cuddling before their time was interrupted by knocking on the door.

“Hey,” Blaine greeted, stepping through the doorway. “Figured you guys were ready for me. Hey Noah, how’re you feeling, little man?”

Noah didn’t look up at Blaine, preferring to hug Daddy even tighter. Dave rubbed his back and murmured, “Answer Uncle Blaine. I want to see nice manners.”

“Hi,” Noah muttered, not making eye contact.

Blaine set his doctor bag down on the crib, then sat down on the floor so he could look up at Noah, “I heard you aren’t feeling very good. Let’s see if we can take care of that.”

Noah had somehow worked his way onto Daddy’s lap, straddling his legs so that he was turned away from Uncle Blaine, and he buried his head in Daddy’s shoulder.

“Sorry, Blaine. He’s just a little nervous,” Daddy apologized, continuing to repetitively stroke Noah’s back. “What do we need to do first?”

“I need to get a temperature, then a quick exam.”

Dave began peeling Noah off of him, and the boy panicked again, scrabbling his hands furiously to keep a grip around Daddy’s neck.

Blaine considered the situation, saying, “He doesn’t need to move. Do you think you can stand? And stand still?”

Dave nodded, standing up straight and allowing Noah to cling to him like a koala. Blaine proceeded to begin working at the bottom half of Noah’s pajamas, getting them unconnected from the top. It didn’t go over well.

“No! You said temp’ture!” Noah fought them both, and Daddy had to sit down to keep a good grip on him.

Blaine nodded, sitting so that was at the same level as Noah. “I did say take your temperature, but I need your bottoms off for that. Can you hold still? I can have Daddy hold you over his knees if that’s going to be easier.”

Noah burst into frustrated tears. He didn’t want any of this to be happening, and he couldn’t get away from Daddy and Uncle Dr. Blaine.

With a sigh, Dave laid Noah out flat on his crib, on his tummy, and unzipped his sleeper. He shimmied it off of the desperately weeping man, then checked his diaper before pulling that off as well.

“Noah, Daddy’s going to be right here. I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured, sitting on the floor and making eye contact. “Uncle Blaine’s going to make you feel better.” He held Noah’s hands tightly, nodding at Blaine.

For his part, Blaine began explaining what he was doing. It wasn’t something he’d do with his kid patients, but given Noah’s distress, it seemed like a good idea.

“The thermometer’s lubricated, and it shouldn’t hurt. It might feel a little funny,” he warned, parting Noah’s cheeks and sliding the thermometer in.

Noah jerked, shocked at the cold, wailing, “Why? Just use an ear ‘mometer!”

“Those aren’t as accurate, sweets,” Uncle Blaine explained, keeping his fingers firmly on the thermometer. “This is going to be over and done with really quick.”

Blaine watched the second hand on his wristwatch, as Noah’s weeping slowed down to the occasional hiccup. Finally, it was done, and Uncle Blaine removed the thermometer.

Noah was up like a shot, barreling into Daddy’s lap and hiding his face away again.

“Whoa naked boy!” Daddy teased. “Let’s get some pants on you.”

“Don’t like that ‘mometer, Daddy,” Noah said seriously, holding tightly to Dave as the diaper was replaced. Daddy didn’t bother to redress Noah in his sleeper, figuring that Blaine would need to listen to his chest. “Is too poky.”

“Yeah,” Blaine said with a smile, having written down the temperature and cleaned it off. “Kurt’s not a fan either.”

“DADDY!” Kurt shrieked from the doorway. That was so embarrassing! He wasn’t a baby!

Blaine turned to glance at his little boy, giving him a stern look, “Eavesdroppers seldom hear anything they’d like to, Kurt Elizabeth. I thought we agreed that you were going to watch cartoons while I checked out the baby.”

“‘m gonna be your ‘ssistant though, Daddy! An’ TV is bad for you; it rots your brain.”

Noah let out a moan of humiliation, mortified for Kurt to be seeing him like this. He snuggled deeper against Dave, wishing that the ground would open up and swallow them both. Then there would be no more Uncle Blaine with his poky ‘mometers and no more Kurt being ‘barrassing, and Noah would still get Daddy cuddles, which were very comforting.

Blaine stood up, walking over to the door and blocking Kurt’s view of the baby, “Excuse me? Did I tell you to come up here?”

“But Daddy!” Kurt clenched his fists up, although he managed to keep himself from stomping his feet.

“That’s not an answer. Did I tell you to come up here?”

Noah moved a little so he could watch. This was kind of int’resting. It was nice to see someone else get in trouble.

Kurt looked at his feet, mumbling, “No Daddy.”

“Did Uncle Dave ask you to come up here?” 

Blushing red, Kurt muttered, “No Daddy.”

Blaine glanced at Noah, watching the baby peeking at them. Deciding that it would do Noah some good to see that he wasn’t the only one who got in trouble, Blaine said, “I want you to apologize to Uncle Dave and Noah for interrupting us then; you wouldn’t like it if Noah came in when I was taking your temperature, would you?”

Kurt’s eyes widened to a comical degree, “Daddy!” he said, scandalized. This was unacceptable. The baby would never respect him if he thought that Kurt got his temperature taken that way.

“If I have to ask you again, then you’re getting a spanking,” Blaine told him calmly.

Kurt didn’t make eye contact, mumbling, “Sorry I int’rupted.”

“Go back downstairs and watch cartoons. Now please,” Daddy ordered, turning Kurt around and giving him a swat.

Kurt jumped and yelped, then rushed down the stairs. Daddy was being very embarrassing! Dave gave Blaine a sympathetic look, rubbing Noah’s back. 

“He can’t help being curious,” Dave said.

Blaine squatted down beside Noah and Daddy, smiling at the baby. “Kurt’s fine, and he knows better than to disobey me and interrupt.”

Noah’s eyes widened, and he pressed his face back against Daddy’s shoulder. Uncle Blaine was a meany! He spanked Kurt for int’rupting! Noah was glad that his Daddy was nicer. Even if it was a little bit funny to see Kurt get in trouble.

“Okay Noah, time to check your ears and your mouth, so I need you to sit the other way on Daddy’s lap.”

Noah shook his head, remaining tightly wrapped around Daddy. He was a little bit nervous that Daddy would let Uncle Blaine smack him for being naughty, but he didn’t think that would happen. Prob’ly.

“Come on baby, Uncle Blaine’s going to take a look,” Daddy murmured, forcibly unwrapping Noah’s arms from around his neck, and turning the boy around.

Blaine smiled at Dave, “Thanks.” Focusing back on Noah, he said, “I’m going to use this light to look in your ears. Are they hurting at all?”

Noah shook his head no, then held still so Uncle Blaine could look.

“Well, they’re a little bit dirty, but no inflammation. Let’s check your throat,” Blaine narrated. “Say ahhhh.”

Noah tentatively opened his mouth, “Ahhhhhh.” He gagged a little when Uncle Blaine stuck the tongue depressor in, which set off a round of coughing.

Sitting back, Blaine waited for him to finish. “That is a bad cough,” he commented. He tried to get through the exam quickly, and Noah sat docilely through a test of his heartbeat and blood pressure. He did jump when it came time for the stethoscope.

“Sorry buddy. I forgot that it’d be cold,” Blaine murmured, moving it around his chest. “Deep breath. And another one.” Taking the earpieces out, Blaine looked at Dave, “There’s definitely congestion.”

Noah felt tired, and he leaned back against Daddy, watching Uncle Blaine carefully. This hadn’t been that bad, although he was definitely never getting his temp’ture taken ‘gain.

“Okay Noah, I need to feel your belly, so I need you on your back. Can you lay down in your crib for me?”

Noah made a face at that, clutching at Daddy’s hands, but Dave forced him up and then helped him lay down. 

“Daddy’s going to sit here and hold your hand while I do this, okay? This might tickle a little bit, but you need to say if anything hurts.”

Noah squirmed as Uncle Dr. Blaine palpated his tummy. It tickled, but it didn’t hurt at all. That task accomplished, Blaine sat back on his heels and smiled at the baby.

“Well, somebody’s got an infection, but he’s a very good listener. We’ve got to do one more thing that you probably aren’t going to like much, buddy, but then no more poking for a while.”

Reaching into his bag, Blaine pulled out a syringe and a vial. He explained calmly to Dave as he prepared the injection.

“It’s a broad spectrum antibiotic. I’m going to prescribe an oral medication as well, and he needs to finish the entire thing. No stopping if he starts to feel better. Can you get him on his tummy? He’s still too thin, and this needs to be injected in fatty tissue.”

Noah really squirmed then, “Nu uh! I don’t need a shot! No shots! Daddy! Tell Uncle Blaine no shots!”

“It’s okay, baby,” Dave said, sitting down in the crib and pulling Noah over his lap. He slid the diaper down and then easily pinned the boy. “Go ahead, Blaine.”

“Noah, it’s going to be real quick; just a little pinch,” Blaine promised, rapidly swabbing down the area with alcohol, then injecting.

Noah shrieked unhappily when he felt the burning injection, and the moment his diaper was back in place and Daddy had let him go, Noah was up and straddling Dave’s legs again, pressing his face against Daddy.

“No more shots!” he whimpered.

“No, kiddo. We’re all done with that,” Blaine promised. He put everything away, pulling out his prescription pad and filling out a few sheets. “There’s an oral antibiotic, a prescription cough syrup, and I’m adding in some suppositories just in case he gets nauseated from the antibiotics. Do you want Kurt and I to go and fill these?”

“Could you?” Dave asked gratefully, holding Noah tightly and rubbing his back. “Someone doesn’t want me to go anywhere, and I already had stuff delivered.”

Blaine smiled, ruffling Noah’s hair. “No problem. Do you need anything else? I’m going to pick up a thermometer and some alcohol wipes for you too.”

“I think we’re good. If you and Kurt are staying a few days, you might want to make sure we have whatever he’s eating for breakfast these days. Noah’s pretty good about food; not so picky, are you, bug?” Daddy asked, addressing the last bit to the baby in his lap.

Noah shook his head, still hiding against Daddy. When he heard Blaine stand up and make to leave, Noah wiggled up enough to whisper something in Dave’s ear.

“Oh, I forgot. Yeah sweetheart.” Daddy murmured. “Blaine, could you guys get lemon popsicles? I got popsicles, but he really wants lemon.”

Blaine nodded, leaving the room quietly and leaving Dave to comfort his baby.

Noah eventually stuck his thumb in his mouth, sucking furiously as he leaned against Daddy and listened to the sounds of their quiet house. After a while, he said, “Uncle Blaine smacked Kurt.”

“Yeah,” Daddy said, smiling a little. “Kurt got a swat for not listening, huh?”

“Uncle Blaine hits hard?” Noah asked, trying hard for nonchalant.

“Uncle Blaine spanked Kurt; it didn’t feel good, but he didn’t hurt him,” Dave reassured, stroking Noah’s hair.

“Kurt’s little too.”

Dave stood up, shifting him onto his hip. “Kurt’s just a little guy too. When you feel better, you guys can play together.”

“Not playin’ barbies,” Noah grumped.

That got him a little swat. “Be nice,” Daddy admonished, although he gently rubbed at the smacked spot on Noah’s thigh. “Kurt’s fun; he sent you those nice presents.”

Noah shifted. He’d been joking. Mostly. As he moved, he realized that he had to pee. Yet again. All this juice was getting ridiculous.

Sighed, he rested his head on Daddy’s shoulder and forced himself to relax. It had gotten easier, but it was still embarrassing.

Dave wasn’t sure why Noah had gone quiet, but it became apparent when he felt the familiar warmth along his hip. 

“Good boy,” he praised, carrying him to the changing table. “Uncle Blaine was right; you’re being a very good listener.”

“Can I have Oscar please?” Noah asked shyly; it was always hard to ask for Oscar, even though Noah found himself wanting the monster more and more when he was having a hard time or just needed a cuddle.

Dave smiled down at him, gently rubbing his tummy. “I think absolutely you can have Oscar; you’re using such pretty manners for Daddy today, Noah Aaron, and I am so very, very happy with you.”

Noah blushed at that, gratefully accepting Oscar and his blanket, and covering up his face in the monster’s squishy belly.

“Thank you,” he mumbled, cheeks hot. While Dave busied himself in getting the diaper stripped off and cleaning Noah up, Noah thought. Finally, he said, “Daddy? You not gonna change me in front of Kurt, right?”

Dave gently tugged at the monster, wanting to look Noah in the eyes. “Noe, baby, I will never intentionally humiliate you. Understand? This whole thing isn’t about me making your miserable or laughing; I want to take care of you. And if you don’t want Kurt seeing you get your diaper changed, or Uncle Blaine for that matter, that is entirely and 100% okay with Daddy. Okay?”

Noah averted his eyes, nodding. He felt a huge sense of relief, which only grew when Daddy let go of Oscar so he could again hide away.

“I really like the way that you’re using your words with me, Noah. I know this is a little scary, but you are doing such a good job trying to explain stuff to me today, and you are using your very best manners, and Daddy really appreciates that.” 

Dave was of the opinion that Noah had not had nearly the necessary amount of praise while he was growing up, and far too many instances of people telling him all the ways that he was screwing up. Well, Daddy intended to rectify that this time around.

Helping Noah up to sitting, then down from the changing table, Daddy pulled out a drawer and withdrew two sleepers. “Which one, bug?”

Noah was looking distinctly sleepy again, heavy eyed as he leaned against Daddy and kept his thumb in his mouth. “It gots to be jammies ‘gain, Daddy?”

“Yeah, buddy. When you start to feel better, we’ll go back to regular clothes,” Dave promised, holding up the sleepers again. “Green with monsters like Oscar or just the plain blue for now?”

The green were Noah’s favorites. Although they had feets like all the jammies that he’d seen in his drawers, the feet had stuff on the bottom so they weren’t so slippy on the floors. And, monsters were cool.

“Is Kurt spendin’ the night?” Noah asked, looking back and forth between the pajamas.

Dave didn’t know what Noah was thinking, but he answered the question. “I think so, bug. Uncle Blaine and Kurt spend the night a lot; I bet that Uncle Blaine would even make his extra special waffles tomorrow.”

“Kurt’s jammies got feets?” 

That explained it. Daddy sat back down in the crib, pulling Noah over to sit on his lap. “Most of them. Kurt isn’t too fond of pajamas with feet, but he gets cold too easily in the winter. Are you worried about what he’s going to think about your jammies?”

“They got feets. All of ‘em. Why all of ‘em?” ‘m not too cold. Mostly.” As Noah explained this, he shivered a bit. He was actually cold right now.

Dave wrapped Noah into his blanket, nodding at his questions. “Actually, not all of your jammies have feet; just the ones that I bought for winter and fall because I don’t want my Noah turning into an ice cube.”

Snuggling against Daddy, Noah gently fingered his monster jammies. They were scary so the under the crib monster that Daddy said wasn’t real would be ascared of Noah. Between the jammies and Oscar, Noah was pretty sure that the monster would stay under the crib.

“I gots to sleep in my crib tonight?”

Dave smiled at that, snuggling the boy closer. “Tell you what: If you don’t tell Uncle Dr. Blaine how often I let you sleep in Daddy’s big bed, then you can sleep with me tonight.”

“Why we not tellin’ Uncle Blaine?” Noah asked, confused.

Dave smiled, “Not Uncle Blaine. Uncle Dr. Blaine. Because he’ll have all sorts of doctor stuff to say about cribs and not co-sleeping, and that would give Daddy a headache. And if I have a headache, then we definitely cannot have a slumber party in the big bed.”

Noah crossed his heart, “I promise, Daddy. No tellin’ Uncle Dr. Blaine.”

“It’s a date,” Dave told him, leaning into rest his forehead against Noah’s. “Now, do you know which jammies you want?”

“Blue please,” Noah said calmly, allowing Daddy to help him get dressed, then raising his arms to be picked up. “We watch movies now? Wif Oscar?” 

“Yeah, we’ll watch a movie. Do you want to watch Finding Nemo?” Dave asked, carrying the baby downstairs.

Noah nodded, resting his head on Daddy’s shoulder and sticking his thumb in his mouth, “Uh huh. I like Bruce.”

Daddy tried to put Noah on the couch, to no avail.

“Not all by my own self,” Noah told him.

“I’m going to get you a bottle. Do you want some juice?”

“No,” Noah scoffed. Daddy was going to drown him with all this juice. “I wanna sit on the couch wif you and watch Nemo.”

“I will, bug. I just want to get some more fluids in you,” Daddy reassured.

Noah shook his head, “It just comes back out.”

Daddy actually laughed at that, then toted Noah into the kitchen. “I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing.” Rubbing at Noah’s back, Daddy pulled the fridge open. “What shall we have?”

Noah snuggled into Daddy, “Grape,” he sighed.

“Grape,” Daddy mimicked back, filling a bottle with ice and juice. “Let’s go watch some Nemo. Are you hungry?”

Noah shook his head. He was sleepy, and his throat kind of hurt. When Daddy sat down on the couch, Noah squirmed over and on top of him, keeping his thumb in his mouth and rubbing his blanket against his lip.

Dave could tell that Noah was less than 15 minutes from falling asleep, and he started the movie and waited. By the time Kurt and Daddy got back, Noah was fast asleep on Daddy’s lap.

He didn’t sleep long, but when he woke up, Noah was very bashful. He wouldn’t allow Daddy to put him down, and he kept hiding his face against Dave’s shoulder.

Kurt wanted Noah to be his friend, and he followed Uncle Dave around, trying to start conversation.

“You like the monster?” he asked, holding Oscar out to Noah.

The baby snatched it away, hugging Oscar tightly and not making eye contact. Daddy patted his bottom.

“Baby? Use your pretty manners for me? Please?”

Noah wouldn’t look at Kurt, but he mumbled, “I like him.”

Daddy rubbed Noah’s back. “He loves Oscar, Kurt. He’s a good monster.”

“I telled Daddy he would like ‘im,” Kurt explained.

“He does, Kurt. Thank you,” Uncle Dave said, ruffling Kurt’s hair.

Noah didn’t like that much and he whined a little, until Daddy went back to rubbing his back. “Can we rock now? Please?”

“Okay cuddlebug,” Daddy murmured, walking him to the chair in the kitchen. Noah shook his head.

“Please my room?”

Figuring that Noah was looking to avoid an audience, Daddy agreed. 

“Foods in the kitchen, you know how the TV works,” he told Blaine and Kurt. “I’ll be back downstairs once the baby goes down for his nap.”

Noah didn’t want to nap without Daddy, but he did want cuddles in his rocker and to be away from Kurt. His resolution to simply not fall asleep did not go well, especially after Daddy gave him another dose of cough syrup, and Noah slept straight through Daddy transferring him to the crib.

“Sweet dreams,” Dave murmured, kissing Noah’s forehead before brushing hair away. Hopefully, Noah would sleep until dinner time, and then they could try some more soup.

Daddy decided to not use the monitor, instead simply leaving the door cracked when he went downstairs to his guests. Kurt was sprawled on the rug in the living room coloring, and Blaine was on the couch, watching TV.

“The baby go down okay?” Blaine asked, smiling at the new Daddy.

Dave nodded, collapsing on the couch.

“Did you get any sleep last night?” 

“Some,” Dave smiled at Blaine. “He woke up early though, and he hasn’t wanted me to let him go. I’ve dozed a little, but he’s been pretty clingy.”

“Yeah, they get like that.”

Kurt looked up at that, scowling at Daddy, “Just babies, and ‘m not a baby, Daddy! ‘member? ‘m your big boy.”

Blaine smiled indulgently at that, and Kurt stood up with a pout, “‘m gonna go play.” He wasn’t going to stay where he was being teased.

“Where?” Daddy asked.

“Upstairs,” Kurt explained, looking at Uncle Dave. “I can play upstairs Uncle Dave? I wanna play in the playroom.”

“Go on,” Dave said, nodding toward the stairs. “There are more toys,” he added. The playroom predated Noah, but Dave had always kept toys up there for Kurt. Daddy had simply added to them when Noah moved in.

“Don’t make a mess,” Daddy admonished.

“‘k,” Kurt said, running lightly up the stairs and leaving the grown ups alone. They’d talk for forever. Kurt could play for a while, and if the baby maybe woke up, then Kurt could be a big help. He was sure.

Once Kurt was gone, Dave and Blaine started to talk. “If the ear thermometers aren’t as accurate, why is that what doctors use?” Dave asked, puzzled.

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Okay, I’m about to let you in on some daddy secrets. Strictly speaking, the ear thermometers are as accurate as rectal thermometers. I just think the rectal thermometers are better at reinforcing that Daddy is in control and knows what he’s doing.”

“Sneaky,” Dave commented, not sure how he felt about Blaine doing that.

“I wouldn’t have used it on Noah,” Blaine explained, “but I figured that you needed to consistently take his temperature too. It doesn’t hurt him. It’s accurate. It’s like the diapers though, just reminding Noah that he’s little and Daddy takes care of him, even if something is icky.”

That actually made sense, and Dave leaned his head back, considering all of the other things that he had been wondering about. 

After a moment, Dave admitted, “I’ve been letting him sleep in my bed. Like, kind of a lot.”

Blaine hid a smile at that. The co-sleeping conversations had been going on since Dave decided to do this. Kurt slept with Blaine, but Dave felt like it was inappropriate to sleep with Noah since this wasn’t about sex. 

Blaine thought that allowing Noah to sleep in the same bed as Daddy wasn’t the best plan, at least not at first, for several reasons. For one thing, Dave needed his sleep. Daddying was hard, and Blaine didn’t want Dave wearing himself out. Blaine also saw Dave’s point about Noah sexualizing their relationship, and he thought it had some validity. The big issue though was that Blaine figured this was just another thing like the thermometer. Noah needed to be reminded that he was the baby, and that Daddy would meet his needs. As long as he was in the crib, Dave had to be the one to help him.

On the other hand, Blaine felt like having Daddy constantly available to meet Noah’s needs was a good thing. Not for Dave necessarily, but for someone who had never securely attached to anyone, Noah needed that constant proof that Daddy was going to take care of him.

“I thought you were worried about him sexualizing the relationship,” Blaine said neutrally.

Dave nodded, tired. “Yeah, but he begs, and he’s tired, and he’s upset...it’s only after nightmares or thunderstorms. Or when he’s not feeling well. Or when he’s nervous or just got a spanking.”

“So, pretty much all the time.”

“Yeah. Pretty much.”

“Well, as long as we’re admitting things,” Blaine said, “I’m about to make your baby very unhappy.”

Dave sat up, giving Blaine a look, “What do you mean?”

“Since I’m here, and since you haven’t found a doctor, I think I should do a full physical while I’m here so we have a baseline.”

“Go on,” Dave prodded. Noah wouldn’t be happy with that, but Blaine was acting like he was holding something back.

“Well,” Blaine drew that out, “it’s basically just what we did earlier, except I should get a weight on him too. He’s way too thin, and I want to be able to monitor that better.”

“And?”

“And a blood draw. And an STI panel.”

Dave let his head drop back against the couch, shaking his head with a groan. “He’s going to be pissed.”

Blaine nodded. It was true. With Noah’s response to the shot earlier, drawing blood was going to be ugly. And the STI tests...

“We can do most of it with a urine sample,” he offered.

Dave just groaned again, hoping that Noah took a long nap. He needed a few hours before he had this argument.

Noah slept for another hour before he woke up. Luckily for him, Daddy and Uncle Blaine had decided to play with Kurt. Uncle Dave didn’t want Kurt feeling replaced. So they’d gone up to join Kurt in the playroom, and they’d all played with Uncle Dave’s excellent collection of art supplies.

When Noah woke up, he felt icky. His throat was scratchy and sore, and his chest hurt. He wanted Daddy.

“Daddy,” he croaked, hugging Oscar tightly and sitting up. He wrapped his blanket around himself; it was cold.

“Uncle Dave!” Kurt jumped up. “The baby is up! The baby is ‘wake!”

Dave started to make his way downstairs. When Kurt attempted to follow, his daddy snagged his arm and pulled the boy into his lap.

“Hey sweet boy,” Daddy murmured, hugging him.

Kurt squirmed, “Daddy! I gotta go help Uncle Dave with the baby!”

“No sweetheart,” Daddy explained, not letting Kurt go. “Let Uncle Dave get the baby up; Noah might not want too many people in his face when he first wakes up. Maybe he’s a crab first thing, hmmm?”

“‘m not a crab!”

“Okay,” Daddy said, still holding on tightly. “But give Noah some space, understand? Let him decide when he wants to play.”

Kurt pouted at that, but Daddy wasn’t letting go anytime soon, so he relaxed against him. 

When Dave got down to the nursery, Noah was kneeling up on his knees, holding the bars of the crib with one hand and watching expectantly.

Sick as he felt, he smiled when he saw Dave. “Daddy!”

“Hey bug,” Dave smiled at him. He was hoping this good mood didn’t end when Noah started to feel better. “You ready to get up?”

Noah nodded, holding out his arms for Dave. Once he’d been picked up, Noah murmured in Dave’s neck, “‘m wet, Daddy.”

“You’re wet?” Daddy asked, carrying him to the changing table and silently cheering. At least one good thing came out of him being sick. “Baby? I need to take your temp too. Do you want me to get Uncle Blaine in here, or should we just do it now?”

Noah looked at the door, biting his lip, “No Kurt in here?”

“No bug. Just me and you.”

Noah sighed heavily, then rolled onto his tummy.

“I can do it?” Dave asked, rubbing Noah’s back.

Noah nodded, turning his head to look at Daddy, “It won’t hurt?”

“It won’t hurt, baby. Daddy promises,” Dave said, using one hand to cup Noah’s cheek. 

Noah nodded again, turning his head to the wall so he couldn’t see Dave’s face. “‘k Daddy. ‘m ready.”

“My brave boy,” Daddy praised, slipping the thermometer into Noah. “You are being so good for Daddy today. I think when you get better, we’re going to have to do something special.”

Noah sniffled a little, thinking. “Is Kurt and Uncle Blaine gonna stay for a long time?” he asked, trying to hold still.

“I don’t know, bug.”

Noah fell silent at that, thinking about Kurt as he waited for Daddy to be done. Just before four minutes was up, he said, “Is Kurt gonna keep askin’ me lots of questions, Daddy?”

Dave smiled at that, removing the thermometer, “You still have a fever,” he said. “And I don’t know; Kurt really wants to be your friend, baby. He’s not doing this stuff to bug you.”

“No,” Noah explained, trying not to smile at Daddy when he rolled onto his back. “I bug you; Kurt don’t bug nobody.”

“You’re my bug,” Daddy corrected, smiling as he put the boy’s diaper back on. “Huh, my cuddlebug? You wanna rock a little before we go and see Uncle Blaine and Kurt?”

“Can I wear not jammies please, Daddy?” Noah asked, widening his eyes. 

Dave thought that Noah would be better off in pajamas, but he was being so polite. So, helping Noah off of the changing table, they walked to the dresser and looked through his clothes.

“Sweatpants and a shirt,” Daddy proposed, pulling clothes out. They’d be comfortable enough, but Noah would feel like Daddy was listening.

That got a nod, and with plenty of tickles and giggling, Daddy got Noah dressed. “Do you want to go and play with Kurt?”

Noah leaned against Daddy, overwhelmed, “I don’t want to talk to Kurt right now.”

“Do you want me to tell him that?” Daddy offered.

“You said ‘don’t be rude, Noah.’”

Daddy nodded, “Okay, I’ll tell Kurt that you’re feeling shy, and you don’t have to answer his questions.”

“Thank you,” Noah smiled, hugging Daddy tightly. 

Daddy hugged back. There was no reason to worry Noah about the medical stuff; Uncle Dr. Blaine couldn’t do it until his fever was down anyway.

“Now, shall we have some cuddles before we go to play with Kurt and Uncle Blaine?”

Noah nodded at that, lifting his arms to be picked up. They sat together, Daddy, Noah, and Oscar, in the rocker, covered with Noah’s monster blanket. As Daddy rocked, he gently rubbed Noah’s back.

“You are being such a good boy for me,” Daddy praised. “You’re listening, and you’re using nice manners. I’m very, very proud of you.”

Blushing, Noah buried his face against Daddy’s chest and sucked his thumb. Dave left it at that, allowing Noah the break from everyone for a while before he felt like they needed to get back to Blaine and Kurt.

“Okay bug; it’s time to go upstairs and play with Uncle Blaine and Kurt now.”

Noah bit his lip, shaking his head slightly, “I like it in here; it’s quiet.”

“I know, baby, but we’ve had plenty of cuddling time, and we need to go and play for a little bit. I promise I’ll stay right with you. You can even sit on my lap the whole time, okay?”

Noah sighed, but he acquiesced. Allowing Daddy to carry him upstairs, Noah hid his face against Daddy and clung to Dave like a little koala. 

“Noah!” Kurt cried, jumping up and running over to the pair.

Dave was firm with him, “Kurt, Noah needs a little space.”

“I wanna play with him though!”

“Kurt,” Daddy warned from where he was sitting. “Do you need a nap?”

“No!”

“Then you need to listen to Uncle Dave please. Otherwise, I’m going to think that you’re too tired to behave.”

Kurt pouted at that, but he stepped back from the baby.

“Thank you pumpkin,” Dave murmured, smiling at him.

Kurt took a deep breath, frustrated, but then he forced himself to smile, “Will Noah at least play with me?” he asked.

“I was thinking that maybe a movie was a good idea?” Dave suggested, meeting Blaine’s eyes. He knew that Blaine monitored television more than he did, but he thought that something that didn’t really require the boys to interact was a good idea.

“Yeah!” Kurt cried, already running down the steps before Daddy could answer. “Can we watch Cinderella?”

“Not Cin’rella, Daddy,” Noah mumbled, looking at Dave with dismay.

Blaine laughed at that, “I know how you feel. Do you and Daddy have movies you watch together?” he asked.

Noah nodded, not making eye contact. “We watch Lion King. And Nemo.”

“I like Finding Nemo,” Blaine responded, keeping his tone light.

“We watched part of it earlier. We have that, or there are some other movies that Noah hasn’t seen yet.” Dave explained, carrying the baby down the steps with Blaine trailing behind him. Noah peeked over Daddy’s shoulder, looking at Uncle Blaine.

“Kurt likes Nemo okay,” Blaine told them, pretending that he wasn’t watching Noah. “Have you seen Lilo and Stitch yet, Noah? Kurt likes that one too, and there’s a lot of Elvis.”

“We have that,” Dave said, “Should we watch it bug?”

Noah nodded, hiding his face again, and Dave rummaged through the DVDs. Popping the movie in, he asked, “Is anyone thirsty?”

“No more driiiinnnnkkks,” Noah moaned.

Kurt giggled, and Blaine gave him a tap on the thigh, shaking his head. He kept eye contact with Kurt as he answered Dave, “Don’t worry about it Dave; Kurt and I know where everything is. Do you want me to get Noah something?”

“Yeah, there are bottles next to the sink, and he should really have some more fluids. Thanks,” Dave smiled in appreciation, sinking into the couch and helping Noah climb off his lap and settle on the opposite side of Daddy so he could peek at the other men.

Previews started while Blaine was in the kitchen, and Noah soon found himself sucked into the film. It was pretty good. Without thinking about it, Noah drank the bottle, even accepting another drink from Uncle Blaine midway through.

When the film was over, Daddy wouldn’t let him watch another one, “That’s enough TV for right now, bug. We can watch more movies after dinner, but why don’t you play with your toys?”

Hearing that, Kurt was on the ground, rifling through Noah’s toys. Noah was a little more hesitant, so Daddy got down on the floor with Kurt and pulled out the dinosaurs. After a moment, Noah joined him, sitting on Daddy’s lap and playing.

It took a while, but eventually, Noah slid off of Daddy’s lap and sat on the floor next to Dave. Shortly thereafter, Dave sat back up on the couch, smiling at Blaine.

Noah checked on Daddy, looking back at him often, but he allowed himself to relax enough to play. He wouldn’t play with Kurt, ignoring the boy.

At least, he ignored Kurt until Uncle Blaine had to take a phone call, and Kurt decided to sit with Noah’s daddy. When Noah looked up, seeing Kurt curled up next to Dave and talking animatedly, he got upset. That was his daddy!

Jumping up, Noah went to the couch and climbed directly on Dave’s lap, straddling Daddy’s legs and leaning his cheek against Daddy’s chest.

“Hey bug,” Daddy told him, rubbing his back. “You need some cuddles?”

Noah nodded, not moving. Kurt sat next to both of them, ultimately leaning against Dave and laughing as he told a story. 

Well, that was enough of that. Reaching out one hand, Noah pushed Kurt as hard as he could. Kurt had his own daddy to snuggle with, and even if he didn’t, Noah wasn’t sharing.

“Noah!” Daddy reprimanded, trying to force the baby to stand up. Noah wasn’t having it, clutching desperately at Daddy. “Noah Aaron! We don’t push!” Finally, Daddy swatted Noah’s thighs a few times. 

That was when Blaine walked back in, “What’s going on?” he asked.

Kurt was sitting at the end of the couch, watching the scene with wide eyes. He didn’t know why Noah had pushed him, but now he was nervous that Daddy was going to think he’d done something wrong because he’d told Kurt to be nice to the baby.

“We’re fine,” Dave said, “Noah just shoved Kurt; I think the two of us need to have a discussion, little man.” Noah burst into noisy tears.

“Hold on, Dave,” Blaine said, when the other man moved to stand up. “Kurt, why did Noah push you?”

Chin trembling, Kurt replied, “I don’t know. I didn’t do anything, Daddy. I swear! I was bein’ good.”

“Kurt,” Daddy warned, giving him a look.

Dave came to Kurt’s rescue, “He really didn’t, Blaine. We were sitting and talking about work, and Noah just got cranky. I think someone’s ready for another nap.”

Blaine wasn’t thrilled with that; Kurt had a manipulative streak, and he wasn’t sure that Kurt hadn’t done something on purpose because Noah wouldn’t play with him.

“I’ll be back down in a little bit. Somebody’s about to get their little butt warmed, and then I think it’s naptime,” Daddy announced, starting toward the stairs again.

“Take his temp first,” Blaine said, “It won’t be accurate after the spanking. And don’t be too hard on him; he doesn’t feel well.”

Once Uncle Dave and Noah were out of sight, Daddy sat down next to Kurt and leveled a serious look at him, “The baby is going upstairs to get spanked, and I want to hear right now if you did something to make him upset, Kurt Elizabeth.”

“I didn’t! Daddy! I promise! Me and Uncle Dave were just talking, and then Noah pushed me for no reason,” Kurt said, starting to cry. 

This wasn’t fair! First, he didn’t get to see the baby or his Uncle Dave for forever, and then when he did come, stupid baby Noah wouldn’t play with him at all and Uncle Dave was too busy to play with Kurt. Finally, when Kurt and Uncle Dave finally got a chance to talk, Noah pushed him for no reason! And Daddy was blaming him! And, not that Kurt wanted to be a complainer, but Noah pushed hard, and it had hurt a little bit.

“Okay Kurt,” Daddy said, pulling the unresisting boy into his lap where Kurt buried his face against Daddy, wiping his nose. “There’s no reason to cry; I was just asking.”

Kurt sobbed out the list of injustices he had experienced, and Blaine started to feel pretty badly. Everyone was making a lot of allowances for Noah’s behavior because the baby was having a hard time and didn’t feel well, but it seemed like maybe Uncle Dave and Daddy and forgotten that Kurt was little too.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. Daddy wasn’t thinking. You’re not in any trouble,” Blaine promised, rubbing Kurt’s back. 

Kurt sniffled, but his sobs stopped, and Blaine felt like he had to make a point. “Kurt, I know you didn’t do it to be naughty, but were you cuddling with Uncle Dave?”

“‘m ‘llowed to cuddle with Uncle Dave! He is very good at cuddling, Daddy,” Kurt answered, feeling a little more outrage on his own behalf. 

Blaine nodded, continuing to rub at Kurt’s back, “I know you are, sweetheart, but I want you to think about how that probably made the baby feel. You didn’t do anything wrong, but I think Noah got mad because you were getting cuddles from his daddy. How would you feel if Noah was cuddling with me, and you were very uncomfortable with everything that was going on along with not feeling well?”

“Oh,” Kurt said, voice small. Now he felt guilty too. “I didn’t mean to make the baby upset; I didn’t know he’d get mad if I did that, Daddy. Honest.”

“I know, baby. I just want you to try to be a little more thoughtful with Noah. Because you’re a big boy, and you can do that. Will you try?” 

Kurt nodded, struggling to get off the couch, “Daddy! Uncle Dave is going to spank the baby, and that’s not fair because he was upset, and he didn’t mean to be bad!”

Blaine kept a hold on Kurt’s wrist, not letting him go upstairs. Shaking his head, Blaine said, “Noah deserves a spanking; it wasn’t nice to push you, and it was against their rules. Being upset doesn’t mean that he can do what he wants.”

“But Daddy! I don’t want the baby to get smacked!” Kurt argued.

Blaine pulled Kurt back into his lap, nodding, “I understand that, but you aren’t going to go upstairs and interfere. Understand?”

Kurt couldn’t wriggle free. It wasn’t fair; he was taller than Daddy, and he should be able to get away when he wanted. Somehow though, Daddy always got a good grip on him. Finally giving up, Kurt allowed himself to get comfortable on Blaine’s lap.

Upstairs, Daddy had set Noah on his feet and then pulled the boy in between his knees, “I don’t know what possessed you to do that, but we don’t push, Noah Aaron Puckerman. Is that understood?”

Noah had been fruitlessly trying to squirm away from Daddy. When that didn’t work, he looked at Daddy and shrieked, full in Dave’s face. 

Dave winced. As rough as Noah’s voice had been sounding, that had to hurt. “Noah!” he said, swatting the boy, “You don’t yell in my face either. What has gotten into you?”

Noah went back to trying to pull away. Red faced and furious, he slapped and clawed at Daddy, trying to get away, “Let me go!”

Daddy tried to keep a grip on Noah, finally maneuvering the boy so that Noah’s back was to Daddy’s chest. Then, gripping Noah’s hands tightly, Dave slid onto the floor and hugged Noah so he couldn’t move. 

“I understand that you’re upset right now, and I’m going to hold you until you can control yourself,” Dave said calmly. “When you’re ready to talk without hitting, then we can do that. Until then, we’re just going to sit here.”

“I hate you! Let me go let me GO!”

There was a light tap at the door, and Blaine peeked his head in, “Are you okay?” he asked Dave, ignoring Noah.

“LET ME GO!” Noah shrieked, voice breaking.

Dave nodded at Blaine, “We’re fine,” he explained, sounding as though nothing out of the ordinary was happening. “Noah’s a little upset, but he knows that we’ll talk once he calms down enough that he’s not going to hurt anybody.”

“Alright. Kurt and I are going to go for a little walk; we’ll be back in an hour. Do you want us to pick up dinner?” Blaine mirrored Dave’s tone as he asked, hoping that Noah would calm down soon.

Dave nodded, and Blaine hurried off. He wanted to get Kurt out of the house; the other boy was having a very hard time with the idea that the baby was about to get spanked because of something he’d done. Daddy had explained that Noah had made a bad choice, but Kurt was feeling guilty. Listening to the tantrum was only going to make things worse.

It took Noah a while, but he finally calmed down enough that Daddy could let him go. The minute that happened, Noah sprang up and turned to face Dave.

“I’m leaving!” he declared.

Daddy nodded at that, standing up enough to sit down in the rocker instead of on the floor. “Uh huh. Where you going, bug?”

“Don’t matter!” he sassed. “I’m leaving, and I’m never coming back, and I don’t like you anymore.”

Daddy looked at him thoughtfully, saying, “That’s fine. You don’t have to like me. I love you even if you don’t.”

Noah blinked back hot tears, trying to not start crying like a stupid baby. He couldn’t do that if he was leaving. There wasn’t going to be nobody to cuddle with him once he left.

“No you don’t.”

“Oh bug,” Daddy murmured, watching as the boy fell apart, “Come here.”

“I don’t want your stupid cuddles,” Noah insisted, even as he allowed Dave to grab him by one arm and pull him forward. “I don’t,” he repeated, snuggling against Daddy.

“It’s okay, my Noah. We’re going to sit here for a little bit. Daddy’s not going anywhere.” Dave reassured, setting the rocker going in a gentle, easy rhythm.

Noah couldn’t seem to stop. Every time the tears started to stop, Noah would think about leaving, or about Kurt, and he’d start up again.

“Noah Noah,” Daddy crooned, rocking him, “this is a lot of crying for a little boy.”

“Not little,” Noah sobbed. “‘m big. And ‘m leaving for ever and ever.”

“Okay. Can you tell me why?”

“You don’t love me,” Noah grumbled. “You only want stupid Kurt, and he’s already got a daddy.”

Well. That’s what this was about. Dave hid a smile, pressing a kiss to Noah’s head as he thought about what a difference a few weeks together had made.

“I do too love you. I love Kurt too, but you’re my baby, and I love you.”

“You love Kurt more ‘cause you knowed him longer, and ‘cause he’s good and not a stupid baby.”

“Nope,” Daddy replied, hugging Noah tightly. “I love Kurt, and Kurt loves me, and Kurt loves Uncle Blaine too. And we all still love you too.”

“Nu uh.”

“Yu huh,” Daddy teased. “I can love you and Kurt. I’m very good at it.”

Noah miserably shook his head. Daddy was wrong. He had to love someone best, and it wasn’t going to be Noah because nobody ever loved Noah the most.

“My mom don’t love me no more,” he finally whispered, deeply ashamed. His mom didn’t love him, and he’d never told anyone that before, and now that Daddy knew that big secret, he wouldn’t love Noah either. Because if his mom couldn’t love him, then obviously nobody else could. 

“I think she does,” Daddy murmured, kissing Noah again. “I think she doesn’t know how to handle you. I think that she gets frustrated with you. But I can’t believe that she could know you and not love you. Not my baby.”

“Nope. She don’t. Not no more. Now she just loves on Chris, so I had to go ‘way,” Noah shakily explained this. Daddy was smart; he should know all this already.

Dave squeezed Noah tightly, “I don’t think that’s true, but even if it is, this family here has enough love to go around, and nobody gets kicked out. Ever.”

“What if I did somethin’ real bad?” Noah asked, looking up at Daddy. “What if I beat Kurt up? Or I stole a car? Or I punched a police horse?”

“You would get spankings, but we would still love you, and you would still be my baby.”

“Really?” 

“Yeah. Daddy promises,” Dave said, making eye contact. ‘Daddy promises,’ had quickly become a very important phrase to Noah. It seemed to settle him.

Noah rested his cheek against Daddy’s chest, pondering that for a moment. After he’d fully considered the idea that Daddy wasn’t going to kick him out, he felt a horrible sick sensation in the pit of his stomach.

He tried to ignore it, but finally, he couldn’t anymore. “Daddy?”

“Yeah, bug?” Dave said kindly.

Noah bit his lip, gently tracing a pattern on Dave’s shirt. “‘m I in trouble?” he whispered.

“Yes,” Dave said, very calmly.

Noah sniffled at that, then asked, “‘m I gettin’ a spankin’?”

Dave really didn’t want to. He wanted to cuddle with Noah and tell him that he was absolutely not getting a spanking. But as much as he wanted to do that, Dave knew how Noah would interpret that decision.

“Yeah, my Noah. We don’t push in this family. When we get upset, we talk about it. I’m sorry that you were upset, but you’re not allowed to hurt anyone. Understand?”

“Gonna be a bad spankin’?” Noah asked, his voice very childlike. He wanted to be brave for Daddy. He wanted to stand up and tell him that he was ready, but he knew that spankings hurt.

“It’s going to be a spanking. Just like normal,” Dave murmured, rocking. “It’s going to sting, but it’s just a spanking. And when it’s over, you’ll apologize to Kurt, then we’ll be all done with this.”

Noah had thought he was cried out, but he found some more tears. Dave let him sit still for a while, just rubbing his back as he waited for the boy to finish. Then, when the crying abated, Daddy made Noah stand up.

“We gotta take your temperature first, bug. Do you want to lay down on your changing table, or do you want to go over my knee?”

Noah whined, twisting his hands together, “Daaadddddyyyy.” 

Dave felt awful, but he stood up and grabbed the thermometer, gently helping Noah across his knee. “We’ll do it like this, my baby, and then we’ll get your spanking done.”

Noah whimpered his way through the hated task. For the first time, he wanted it to take forever. When four minutes was up, and Daddy slid the thermometer back out, Noah really started to cry again.

“I promise ‘m really sorry already, Daddy. I’ll tell Kurt sorry. An’ Uncle Blaine too.”

Dave nodded, swallowing hard, “I know you’re sorry, bug. It’s not about being sorry. There are consequences to choices. You made a bad choice to push Kurt, and getting spanked is your consequence.”

Daddy brought his hand down, starting the spanking. “Now, when we’re done here, I expect you to apologize, and then it’s over.”

Noah was just about cried out, and he lay limply over Daddy’s lap, sobbing inconsolably. It hurt. It really really hurt. Noah was already sore from being sick, and he’d gotten a little spanking earlier, and now he was getting spanked again. 

Daddy spanked fast, just wanting to get it over with. It was hard to tell when enough was enough, and Dave just spanked until he couldn’t handle it anymore. When it was all over, Daddy helped Noah up, then pulled the boy into his lap.

“All done. We’re all done, my baby. No more spanking. You’re not in any trouble,” he murmured, feeling just a little hysterical. He hated spanking Noah. It always sucked. 

They sat rocking for a long time, until Daddy heard the downstairs door slam. Then, he made Noah stand up.

“Alright bug, it’s time to go and apologize to Kurt for pushing him,” he ordered sternly.

Noah nodded, lip still trembling. “Can I wear clothes?” he whispered, his voice just about gone between not feeling well and the spanking.

“Yeah, buddy. You can wear clothes.”

Dave smiled a little as he helped Noah to get redressed. He rubbed lotion over Noah’s skin, hoping that it would help some with the sting, then put Noah’s diaper and pants back on.

“Do you want me to come with you?” he asked, smiling kindly.

“I do it,” Noah insisted in a squeaky whisper. He squared his shoulders, then started toward the door. Dave watched him leave before collapsing back into the chair and taking a minute to get a hold of himself.

When he got downstairs, Noah and Kurt were sitting on the ground together, building something. Noah turned to Daddy and smiled.

“Kurt says we gonna build a time machine for my dinos,” he explained, grabbing Dave’s hand and pulling the man to sit down. He situated himself in Daddy’s lap, leaning back with a satisfied smile.

Dave nodded, hugging the boy. “He did? Did you tell him what I told you?”

Noah nodded, blushing a little, and Daddy slid Noah back off of his lap, “I’m going to go and help Uncle Blaine unpack dinner. You boys play nice.”

They nodded, waving Daddy away, and Dave went out to commiserate with the other daddy. He needed a beer.

“Hey,” he said to Blaine, pulling a beer out of the fridge. “Want one?”

Blaine nodded, and Dave handed it over, grabbing another for himself. “I’m sorry about Noah. It turns out that someone was feeling a little jealous, and I probably should have been watching that more.”

Blaine smiled, “I figured. I told Kurt to be a little more sensitive. He’s fine, Dave. His feelings were a little hurt, but he seems to be doing fine playing with the baby now.”

The daddies unpacked their Chinese food, calling the boys into the kitchen and sitting down to eat. Noah balked a little at the high chair, but a quiet word from Daddy had him standing still and allowing himself to be lifted. He did draw the line at Kurt feeding him though.

“I don’t need him feeding me, Daddy,” Noah insisted, looking at Dave with wide, hurt eyes. “I can feed my own self if you’re busy.”

“I’m never too busy to do something for you,” Dave corrected, rescuing Noah’s spoon from Kurt.

Blaine added, “And someone needs to sit his little self down and eat before he gets help too.”

Kurt pouted a little at that, but he ate his dinner. Once that was through, Noah was pretty much just good for another bottle, some cough syrup, and sleep.

The second day with Uncle Blaine and Kurt went a little bit smoother. Kurt was making much more of an effort, and the daddies tried to structure everyone’s play better. The fact that Noah was still napping every few hours helped immensely.

The third and final day of their visit, Noah was feeling much better. Dave was thrilled to see him less clingy, and the boys actually played together relatively well. 

In fact, they played together so well that Noah actually got a little upset when he was informed that it was time for Kurt to go home.

“But Kurt promised we’d watch Despicable Me!” Noah protested, leaning into Daddy. “He can’t go home!”

“I wanna stay longer,” Kurt insisted, reaching out to grab Noah’s hand. “Me and Noah are going to play.”

Blaine smiled at that, “You can play again later. We’ll come back when Noah’s feeling all better.”

“But I feel all the way better now, Uncle Blaine. You can check,” Noah insisted.

Dave winced then; he’d forgotten. “That reminds me, bug...”

“‘minds you what?” Noah asked, straightening up suspiciously.

“Uncle Dr. Blaine is going to give you a quick check up before he leaves,” Dave explained.

Noah backed away quickly, shaking his head, “I don’t need it! You already poked at me before!”

Blaine nodded, lowering his voice to the tone he used with spooked toddlers, “I know, but I need to do just a few more things. Can you be my brave boy?”

Noah wrinkled his brow, thinking about that. He wanted to be brave, like Stitch, but he didn’t want any more pokes. 

“You gon’ stick me ‘gain?” he asked.

Blaine smiled sympathetically, “One quick blood draw, that’s it. I promise.”

“Daddy promise,” Noah demanded, turning to look at Dave.

After getting a nod from Blaine, Daddy told Noah, “Yes, my Noah. One blood draw. Daddu promises.”

“It gon’ hurt?” 

“It’ll pinch a bit, like the shot.” Blaine said patiently.

“Anyfing else gon’ hurt?” Noah asked, allowing himself to lean against Daddy.

Blaine knew from conversations with Dave that Noah did best when he had warning. So, sitting on the couch, Blaine motioned Noah over. The boy came, but only with Daddy.

“I have to do an STI test too, sweetpea. Have you ever had that done before?”

Noah had, and he knew what it entailed. Looking up at Daddy with wide, panicked eyes, he whimpered, “I gotta?”

“Yeah, bug, but we’ll go quick. And we can do whatever you want for the rest of the day.” Daddy promised. 

Noah shook his head, teary eyed, “I don’t wanna, Daddy.”

“I know, but we gotta. Do you want to do it in the nursery?”

Sniffling, Noah nodded, turning to wrap arms around Daddy’s neck. “You comin’ too?”

“Of course,” Daddy reassured, standing up and carrying the boy up the stairs. Blaine followed behind, after issuing a very short but stern order to Kurt.

“You stay down here. If you come upstairs, you’re getting a big spanking.”

Kurt sat on the couch, listening to the men going up the stairs and to the nursery.

When they got upstairs, Daddy sat down in the crib, smiling at Blaine. “Can we do the STI test first?”

“No!” Noah shook his head, squirming. “Not first!”

“Yeah. We’re going to get it over with,” Daddy explained, holding Noah. With a little whimper, Noah allowed Daddy to get him undressed, then he lay still as Uncle Dr. Blaine started.

“It hurts,” he whined at Daddy, eyes filling up with tears.

Dave grabbed his hands, squeezing. “I know, baby, and you are being such a good boy for Uncle Blaine.”

“Almost done,” Blaine murmured, removing the first calgon swab and moving to take the second sample.

“You already did!” Noah whimpered.

Blaine looked up at him, smiling, “I know, sweetheart, and you’re doing great. I just need one more swab, then we’re all done.”

Noah squeezed his eyes shut, squeezing Daddy’s hand through the second swab, and curling up into a ball as soon as Uncle Blaine removed it. Pressing his face into Daddy’s leg, Noah moaned, “That really hurted.”

“I know. You were such a brave boy,” Daddy praised, stroking Noah’s hair. “Uncle Blaine needs your arm real quick, Noah, then the rest of it’s going to be painless. Let’s get your bottoms back on.”

After Noah’s diaper was back on, Noah climbed onto Daddy’s lap, hugging Dave around the neck with one arm and pressing his face into Dave’s shoulder. He allowed his other arm to be extended, holding still through the blood draw.

“All set, peanut,” Uncle Blaine told Noah, putting a cotton ball in the crook of his elbow. “Look, I’ve got Batman band aids for brave little boys.”

That piqued Noah’s interest, and he lifted his head long enough to spare a glance at his elbow. He smiled at Uncle Blaine a little before hiding his face again.

The rest of the physical seemed very easy after that, although Noah was a little upset at Uncle Blaine’s insistence that he was too thin and Daddy needed to be feeding him more formula bottles.

“Those taste like yuck.”

Uncle Blaine was sympathetic, but adamant. Noah needed to gain back some weight, and Dave promised to weigh the boy at least twice a week and record what they were eating.

“Look on the bright side, sweetheart, this means that Daddy’ll give you more cookies,” Blaine told him.

Noah visibly brightened at that, although he deflated a bit again when he had to say good bye to Kurt. Once both men were gone, Daddy and Noah cuddled together in the downstairs rocker, Noah drinking a bottle of chocolate milk.

“Did you have fun, my baby?” Daddy asked, kissing Noah.

Noah nodded, spitting the nipple out, “Kurt’s fun; he can come visit ‘gain. But tell Uncle Blaine no bringin’ his doctor stuff next time.”

Dave felt relieved, happy that the visit had gone alright. Kurt had really tried to not upset the baby, and Dave was thinking that he’d be able to have the men come around more often. That would be good; he’d missed his ‘nephew’.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noah might be adjusting, but that doesn't mean he wants to start adding in even more people.

Noah couldn’t believe that Daddy was leaving him! His Noah was so good now! Well, mostly. He used his diapers without complaining and cuddled with Daddy and ate even if it was yucky broccoli. And now Daddy was going ‘way.

Dave had stayed home with Noah, every day, since they’d started. Occasionally, when Blaine and Kurt were in the city, Daddy would run to do something and leave the boys with Blaine. Although he would warn Noah that he was leaving, Daddy timed these trips to coincide with Noah’s nap, and he was always back before Noah woke up again.

Now, finally, Dave was going to go out for an evening. Uncle Blaine and Kurt had come down to spend the night, and Uncle Blaine was trying to convince Noah that it was going to be okay.

“Sweetheart, we’re going to watch a movie and order pizza,” he promised, kneeling beside the prostrate man on the couch. “Doesn’t that sound like fun? Kurt brought Despicable Me so you could see it.”

Noah thumped the couch with his hand, “I don’t want Daddy to go out!”

Dave came over, smiling gratefully at Blaine. “Baby, I’m going to be go out for dinner with someone, and then I’ll be home. I’ll even come home before bedtime.”

The fact that Daddy was not just going out, but going on a date, was completely unacceptable. Lifting his head up enough to glare at Daddy, Noah warned, “I’m not never going to love you or give you kisses ‘gain.”

“Noah, it’s just one date, baby. Daddy’ll be back in a couple of hours,” Dave pleaded.

“Go ‘way. I don’t love you. ‘m gonna stay here with Uncle Blaine and Kurt, and we don’t need you. I hope you don’t never come home.”

Blaine sighed, sitting on the floor next to the couch, “Noah, sweetheart, Daddy has to go now,” he looked pointedly at Dave. “Can you sit up and give him a kiss good bye; he’ll be back in a little bit.”

“Not givin’ him no more kisses; he can get kisses from his stupid date,” Noah grumbled.

Dave finally patted Noah’s head a few times, telling him that Daddy loved him, then walked to the door. Blaine followed him.

“Are you sure-” Blaine started.

Dave didn’t let him finish. “Yes. He’s straight, Blaine. And I love him, and I’m happy to have him here as my baby as long as he wants to be, but he’s straight. This isn’t sexual, between the two of us, and I don’t want it to be. I don’t want Noah to ever feel like he has to give that to me; he’s already had way too many people take advantage of him.”

Blaine was of the opinion that it was entirely possible that Noah wanted to have that kind of relationship with Daddy, but he nodded. 

“Fine. Go. We’ll be fine,” he said, shooing the man out the door.

Returning to the living room, it was to find Noah unmoved on the couch, Kurt sitting beside him and talking.

“An’ I been good, Kurt. ‘snot fair that Daddy’s goin’ on a date,” Noah finished, looking up at Uncle Blaine with a glare. “It’s not.”

Blaine knelt beside the couch, making eye contact with the unhappy boy. “Do you want pizza?” he asked, feeling very badly for the baby.

Noah nodded, finally sitting up. “Yes please,” he said, remembering his manners.

It wasn’t a fun night. For anyone. Noah was upset, and Uncle Blaine was trying to keep him entertained. Kurt felt badly for Noah, but he wasn’t thrilled with having to share his daddy. And Dave...Dave was on a date with someone, and he had to keep reminding himself not to share pictures of his adorable baby. Not that the man didn’t know. They’d met on a board for people who were into age play. But Dave felt like it was an invasion of Noah’s privacy to just share information about him with someone else.

He seemed like a nice guy, and Dave knew that he needed to start dating again. As fulfilling as being Noah’s daddy was, Dave missed having sex. So, at the end of the night, when his date leaned in for a kiss, Dave reciprocated.

Then he hurried home to his baby. Who was sitting all by himself in the armchair, wrapped up in his blanket and holding Oscar. Blaine and Kurt were sitting on the couch, and there was a movie on.

When Noah saw Daddy, his eyes lit up before he could force himself to calm down. Daddy had left him, all by himself with Uncle Blaine, just to go on a stupid date. And Noah was mad mad mad at him.

“Hey, bug,” Daddy murmured, walking to the chair and moving to pick Noah up.

“No,” Noah told him, scrunching himself down so he was harder to move. “I don’t wanna sit wif you.”

Dave was disappointed, but he nodded calmly and sat down on the end of the couch closest to his baby. “Okay, bug. You don’t have to cuddle with Daddy if you don’t want to. Did you have fun with Uncle Blaine and Kurt?”

Noah wouldn’t make eye contact, fingering the satin part of his blanket and hugging his monster tighter. “Yup,” he insisted. “More fun than with you. I wish they were here all the time.”

Blaine turned off the TV then, deciding to intervene, “I think it’s bedtime for little boys,” he announced, standing up and pulling Kurt to his feet.

Noah jumped up, racing over to stand by Uncle Blaine, “Will you put me to bed?” he asked, smiling sweetly.

Blaine looked at Dave, expecting the man to say something. When he didn’t, Blaine nodded, “Yeah, sweetpea, I can put you to bed. Give Daddy a hug and a kiss.”

“‘m not givin’ him no cuddles,” Noah said, sounding absolutely certain. “I don’t want to.”

Blaine really expected Daddy to say something then, but Dave just sat on the couch and nodded. “That’s fine, bug. We give hugs and kisses to people that we want to. I love you. Sweet dreams.”

Noah didn’t say anything to that, simply walking toward the stairs. After a moment, Blaine and Kurt followed.

“Do you need a dry diaper?” Blaine asked, standing in the doorway of the nursery.

“No fank you,” Noah told him. “Can I have stories?”

Noah was already in his jammies, so Uncle Blaine sat down in the oversized chair, pulling the baby into his lap. “Kurt, are you going to read with us, or do you want to change into your pajamas?”

“I can change,” Kurt said, hurrying off to do that and wait on the bed in the guest bedroom. He hugged James James and waited.

When Uncle Blaine finished “Hippos Go Beserk,” he led Noah to the crib and tucked him in. Kneeling beside the man, he said, “You know, even if you’re mad at Daddy-”

Noah interrupted him, “‘m not mad. I just don’t need him. Why? You not wanna tuck me in? I could-”

“I love tucking you in,” Blaine said, stroking hair back. “I love you, and I love taking care of you. But you have a daddy who loves you very much. What do you say we have him come upstairs and give you hugs and kisses?”

Noah shook his head stubbornly, “I don’t need no kisses and hugs from Daddy.”

“Okay sweetpea,” Blaine said, unhappy. Kissing Noah’s forehead, he smoothed the covers one last time, hooked the side of the crib up, then left the nursery in the dark.

Daddy didn’t do it like that. Daddy left the nightlight. Nonetheless, Noah wasn’t going to complain. He was a big boy; he could sleep without a stupid lamp.

Having accomplished that tuck-in, Blaine went to the guest bedroom to find his own little boy. “Hey baby. Do you want a story now?”

Kurt shook his head, holding his arms out for a cuddle. When Daddy obligingly climbed next to him on the bed, hugging him, Kurt said, “I want to talk ‘stead.”

“Okay,” Blaine told him. “What’re we talking about today?”

“How come Uncle Dave is such a dummy?”

“We don’t call people names, baby. You know that,” Daddy reprimanded.

Kurt sighed, “But he’s bein’ dumb, Daddy. And now the baby’s mad at him, and I don’t mind a little bit of sharin’, but we’re not bringin’ the baby home, and if he’s still mad at Uncle Dave, then who is going to tuck him in?”

“What’s he doing that’s so dumb?” Daddy asked patiently.

“The baby likes him, and he doesn’t want Uncle Dave dating. How come Uncle Dave gotta date?”

Blaine figured that if Kurt felt like being a grown up, this conversation would go a lot faster. Since that didn’t seem likely, Blaine tried to answer the question as best he could. “Uncle Dave wants someone to have special cuddling time, like we do.”

Kurt sighed at that, frustrated that Daddy didn’t see the obvious solution to this problem. If Uncle Dave just had special cuddles with Noah, then Uncle Dave wouldn’t have to go on dates, and Noah wouldn’t be mad, and Kurt could have his daddy back to focusing on him, which was exactly how things should be.

“Are you ready to sleep, sweetheart?”

Kurt nodded, recognizing that Daddy would think that Kurt helping was a bad idea. He would call it interfering. Better to go to sleep now and talk to Noah tomorrow.

“Sleep tight,” Daddy murmured, tucking Kurt in, and leaning over to give him a kiss. “I’m going to spend a while talking to Uncle Dave; I’ll be up when I’m done. Love you.”

“‘k Daddy,” Kurt said, reaching his arms up and giving him a hug. “Love you too.”

Blaine left Kurt in the room, shutting the door behind him so his little boy could sleep. Then, making his way down the stairs, he found Dave sitting on the couch with a bottle of beer. The other man looked exhausted.

“Did he go down okay?” he asked.

“Uh, yeah,” Blaine told him, going to get a beer. When he returned, he sat down and levelled a Look at Dave. “What the hell was that?”

“What do you mean?” 

“That attitude?” Blaine said, “He was being rude, Dave. He’s clearly asking for your attention, and you just let it go? How do you think this is going to end?”

“I’m not going to force-”

“This isn’t about forcing,” Blaine interrupted. “It’s about enforcing the boundaries you already set with him.”

Dave sighed, “I don’t think it’s fair to make him cuddle if he doesn’t want to.”

Blaine felt like banging his head against the wall. “I’m not saying he has to. I am saying that he should be respectful. He’s pushing to see what you do, and it’s only going to get worse.”

“I don’t get why he’s so upset though.”

“He doesn’t want you dating,” Blaine explained, sounding more patient than he felt. “He’s scared; you know what Kurt said about all this.”

“He has abandonment issues,” Dave recited.

“He’s mouthy, but he’s smart,” Blaine smiled at Dave then. “He knows what he’s talking about. Just...do what Kurt said. Lots of reassuring. Lots of cuddles. And for the love of god, enforce the rules.”

“Kurt didn’t say that part.”

Blaine snorted, “Of course he didn’t say that part. Kurt’s a big believer that rules are meant to be bent whenever he wants. But you know, and I know, that they don’t do well when we do that. Enforce the rules.”

Dave nodded. “I know.”

“It’s just hard,” Blaine agreed. “It sucks. it sucks to enforce the rules when he’s already pissed with you.”

Dave fell silent. He knew that Blaine was right; he wasn’t stupid. After a few minutes of thinking, Blaine asked, “Was he hot?”

That got a shrug. “He wants to meet Noah. He said when Noah was ready, but...he wants to. That’s good, right? Because it’s not like I’m going to stop being Noah’s daddy.”

Blaine wasn’t sure about that. That it was a good thing. But he also knew that he’d never be in this situation. Kurt liked being little, and Blaine had loved Kurt since he was 16 years old. He was done with dating, and for that, he was grateful.

“Just...” he finally said, “give Noah a chance to get used to the idea. He was upset tonight. Give him some time.”

Dave’s solution to Noah’s upset was to only go on dates after bedtime. Since he still had Noah going to bed by 9:00, he simply had Josh come over after that.

Josh wanted to meet the baby. Badly. He’d always wanted to be a daddy, and this was really the perfect situation. It took over a month of cajoling, but Dave finally caved.

Sitting in the rocker, Daddy had been giving Noah a bottle. “Daddy wants you to meet his new friend,” he started.

Noah stiffened, watching Dave suspiciously.

“His name is Josh, and he’s very, very nice.”

“Don’t want to,” Noah said, making a face.

“Well, I want you to,” Dave explained. “I think you’ll like him.”

Pouting, Noah sucked down the rest of the bottle before he asked, “When?”

Dave was relieved. “Tomorrow night. He’s going to come over for dinner. Understand?”

Noah nodded unhappily, then yawned. “‘m tired.”

“Okay, bug. Let’s get you tucked in,” Daddy murmured, getting Noah into the crib and covered up. Kissing him he said, “Sweet dreams. I love you.”

Noah nodded again, thumb slipping into his mouth. He watched as Daddy turned on his nightlight and turned off the lamp. He left the door cracked and the hallway light on, just like every night.

But unlike every night, doing something he hadn’t done since the first few days of this experiment, Noah began to cry. Silently. Hot tears slipping across his face sideways, he cried. 

Despite Dave’s hopes, the next day did not go well. Noah was cranky from the moment he woke up. Nothing was right.

Dave had planned to make pancakes for breakfast, a way to start the day off so Noah would be happy. He’d even gotten the kosher bacon that Noah liked.

Unfortunately, Noah didn’t want bacon. He didn’t want pancakes. He wasn’t hungry at all, and he wasn’t going to eat. So, Dave made up a bottle and tried to settle down into the rocker.

Noah didn’t want to cuddle. He could take the bottle his own self, and he didn’t need stupid Daddy’s help. So, Dave put Noah in the playpen and handed him the bottle.

“Alright, bug. Daddy’s going to have some breakfast,” he said calmly, then went off and did that.

Noah elected to remain in the playpen, arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face. He took bottles when Dave insisted, and he allowed Daddy to change him (although, he wouldn’t say when he was wet). He wouldn’t play with Daddy, and he didn’t want to help Daddy. At all. Not even when Dave tried to convince him to bake muffins. Noah wasn’t interested.

At 4:00, Daddy made Noah get out of the playpen so that he could have a bath. Noah didn’t like that.

“I’m not dirty! It’s not bath time! Bath time is AFTER dinner. I don’t need to be carried,” he insisted, squirming until Daddy put him down and then following along behind Dave.

Dave turned on the water and filled the tub, explaining, “Yes, but Josh is going to be here tonight, and I figured you wouldn’t want to have a bath while he was here. Plus, Daddy wants Josh to see how sweet and adorable you are.”

“‘m not sweet or ‘dorable.”

“Are too,” Daddy told him, sitting down on the toilet and beginning to undress the boy. “Do you have a messy diaper? Do you need to potty before we have bath?”

“No.”

Stripping Noah down, Daddy tried to keep up soothing chatter. Noah was just nervous, he kept reminding himself. This was probably nerve-racking for him, and as soon as he met Josh and saw that Josh wasn’t mean and wasn’t going to make Daddy forget about his Noah, everything would be fine.

Noah didn’t want soothing chatter. He didn’t want to meet Daddy’s stupid new boyfriend. He’d been through this before. His mom had been bringing men home his entire life, and it was always the same. Whether the guy came in with gifts or completely ignored Noah, ultimately, nobody wanted him around. And when Dave realized that, then he would pick Josh. Because nobody wanted stupid Noah who was a baby.

“Do you want your toys?” Daddy asked, offering the frog container from the wall. “We have enough time to play.”

“No.”

“Alright. Lean back, let me wash your hair.”

Noah shook his head stubbornly, “I can wash my own hair.”

“I don’t think so, bug. Babies don’t wash their hair. Lean back.”

“‘m not a baby!”

“Noah, do you need a time out? Because you’re acting like you need a break so you can think a little bit.” Dave was really trying, but Noah was not making things easy for him.

With a scowl, Noah tilted his head. He didn’t want stupid time out. At all. He let Daddy wash him, although he didn’t play any games or smile at Daddy’s stupid jokes. After bath, he allowed Daddy to put a clean diaper on him and help him get dressed. 

“Do you want your monster jammies?” Daddy asked. The monster pajamas were Noah’s super special, brave pajamas, and Daddy knew it.

“No,” Noah responded, sounding offended. “I don’t need jammies. It’s not even dinner yet.”

“Noah, I need you in pajamas before Josh gets here. It’s going to be bedtime, and Josh is going to be here, and I don’t think you want him watching you get changed,” Dave explained.

“Why you care so much about stupid Josh? I don’t even want to meet him, and now I gotta wear jammies because he’s gotta be here before I go to sleep? Why? He’s the one comin’ here to our house and makin’ things harder. He should just have to leave so I can have pajamas and a bottle and a bedtime story,” Noah finished, looking furious.

Daddy had tried to be patient, but he was starting to think that he was going about it all wrong. Blaine had said he needed to be consistent. 

“We don’t call people stupid, and I invited Josh here. He’s our guest, and you’ll be polite. And you’ll listen to me and put on your pajamas because I’m the daddy, and I’ll spank your naughty little butt if you don’t stop acting up. Got it?”

“Yes,” Noah bratted, glaring.

“Good. I don’t want to spank you, but I will. And if you want something, or you’re upset, then we talk about it. You don’t pout and whine at me all day, and you don’t use mean words. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.” Dave’s eyes softened, and he said, kindly, “I will tell Josh that he has to wait downstairs, and we will read stories and have your bottle up here, if you decide you’re still not comfortable. But I think that you’ll like him Noah; I wouldn’t invite him here if I didn’t think that.”

Noah’s eyes filled with tears. It was always so much harder when Daddy was understanding and nice. When he was stern and threatening spankings, then Noah could get upset. When Daddy was nice, then Noah couldn’t even be mad at him.

“I gotta wear jammies?” he asked, voice very small.

“I ought to make you,” Daddy said, trying to make himself sound stern. He pulled Noah, still clad in just a diaper, onto his lap. “I don’t like you pouting and whining to get what you want. And I really don’t like you telling me that you aren’t going to do what I tell you.”

A few tears spilled over, and Noah hurriedly brushed them away. “Sorry, Daddy,” he whispered.

“Promise that you’ll talk to me the next time you’re upset?” Daddy asked, taking Noah’s chin and forcing eye contact. 

Sniffling, Noah nodded, and Dave smiled at him. “You don’t need to cry, bug. It’s not a big deal. I didn’t like the way you were acting, but we talked about it, and I know you’re going to try harder.”

“I will,” Noah promised, pushing until Daddy allowed him to rest his head against Daddy’s chest. Thumb in his mouth, he amended, “I’ll try.”

“Thank you. What would you like to wear?” Daddy murmured, rocking.

“You want me to wear jammies?” Noah asked.

“I want you to be comfortable. I shouldn’t have said you had to wear pajamas. Which doesn’t mean that I didn’t mean what I just told you; you don’t tell me what you’re doing, and you should have told me what the problem was. But, if you want to wear something else, then we can do that.”

“I can wear reg’lar clothes? I don’t wanna wear my baby clothes in front of him, Daddy. Please?”

This seemed like a bad idea to Dave. The only time that Noah wore regular clothes was when they were out in public. The rest of the time, it was overalls, sweatpants, pajamas...clothing that made changing diapers easier.

“How about your overalls?” he offered, compromising.

“Just reg’lar overalls? Not the ones wif dinos or monkeys?”

“Deal,” Daddy promised, helping Noah stand and kissing his forehead. “Can you go and get them? We need a shirt too.”

“An’ shoes?” Noah asked, digging the overalls and and a plain blue tee-shirt from the drawer.

Dave shook his head, “Not that shirt; you need long sleeves. It’s cold out. And you don’t need shoes.”

“But-”

“Baby, Daddy won’t be wearing shoes. We don’t wear our shoes inside. You need socks though.”

Noah lifted another shirt out, a dark green, thermal shirt. “This one, Daddy?”

“Yeah, bug. That looks nice. You’re going to be Daddy’s handsome little man, aren’t you?” Dave asked, pulling the shirt over Noah’s head and then helping him step into his overalls. After snapping the straps, Daddy tugged a bit, making sure everything was straight. “Can you get Daddy a pair of socks?”

Noah went to the drawers, finally pulling out a pair of socks and bringing them back. Daddy pulled Noah into his lap, tugging socks onto his feet.

“Yeah, that’s Daddy’s beautiful baby,” Dave murmured, hugging Noah. “You look so nice.”

“Daddy,” Noah wasn’t looking at Dave, focusing on a point far away. “Why you datin’ Josh?”

“Because he’s nice,” Dave answered. “He’s nice, and Daddy wants someone to spend time with. Understand?”

Noah nodded, and Daddy stood up and picked him up. “Let’s go downstairs. Do you think that Oscar wants to meet Josh?”

“No,” Noah mumbled, resting his head on Daddy’s shoulder.

“Do you want to play play dough, baby? We’ve got a little time before Josh gets here.”

Noah shook his head, “Playpen please.”

Frowning, Dave settled the baby in the playpen, retrieving a bottle with juice in it. He needed to let Noah have some space, if that’s what the baby wanted.

“Okay, bug, Daddy has to empty the dishwasher. I’ll be in the kitchen if you want me,” he said, ghosting his hand over Noah’s head. “Daddy loves you.”

“Love you,” Noah mumbled, sucking his thumb. He curled on his side, staring at the wall. When Daddy walked away, he whispered, “I spend time with my Daddy. He don’t need nobody else.”

“Bug, I’m going to start dinner. Do you want to help?”

Noah shook his head, “No fank you.”

“Okay. Do you want a snack? I’ve got muffins; I know you like pumpkin muffins.”

“No fank you.”

“Okay, bug.” Daddy murmured, ruffling his hair. Noah was just nervous about meeting Josh. That was all. He began to put together dinner. “Did I tell you that we’re having the yummy ravioli that you like? I thought you would like that. And I bought grape juice, and we have garlic bread.”

Noah didn’t say anything, and Daddy fell silent, focusing on putting together the baked ravioli. It was one of Noah’s favorite things to eat, and Daddy knew that he would be happy about it. It was a good way to get veggies in him too.

He was just sliding dinner into the oven when the doorbell rang. Stopping by the playpen, Daddy looked down at Noah, who was looking distinctly panicked.

“Hi baby. Can I carry you?” he asked, lifting Noah up gently.

As much as he didn’t want to, Noah found himself curling tightly against Daddy, hiding his face in Daddy’s shoulder.

“Daddy,” he whispered, “Daddy, I don’t-”

Dave stood still, rubbing Noah’s back and waiting. When the bell rang again, he murmured, “What, baby? What’s wrong, my Noah?”

“Nofing,” Noah murmured, putting his thumb in his mouth. 

“Do you need something?”

“Doorbell,” he whispered. “You need to let your friend in.”

Dave nodded, carrying Noah to the door. “You know that Daddy loves you,” he asked. “Daddy loves you, and nothing will ever change that. Daddy promises, Noah. You’re my baby.”

Noah nodded. Daddy loved him. And Noah believed Daddy, that he thought nothing would ever change that. Noah just knew better.

“Hi,” Daddy said, opening the door and smiling widely.

Josh stepped through the door, handing Dave a bottle of wine. “Hi. This must be your baby. Hi sweetheart, my name’s Josh. Aren’t you just the cutest little guy?”

Noah buried his face in the apex of Daddy’s shoulder and neck, not responding, and Dave apologized. “He’s not used to meeting people.”

“Oh, someone’s a shy little guy?” Josh asked, reaching a hand out to touch Noah’s shoulder. The baby tensed, and Josh removed his hand. “I brought you a present, Noah. Would you like to see it? See the present?”

Noah shook his head, still not making a noise, and Dave rubbed his back. “Well, why don’t you come in. I’m sure he’ll warm up.”

Noah wasn’t sure. He had no intention of warming up to the stupid man who used stupid baby talk and was going to usurp Noah’s position in Daddy’s heart. This was his daddy.

“Do you want something to drink? We have beer, juice, water...and the wine, obviously,” Dave offered.

Josh followed Daddy and Noah into the kitchen, and Daddy poured him a glass of wine. Dave got himself a glass of water. 

“Noah, my Noah? Do you want some grape juice? I got the kind you like,” Daddy murmured, trying to turn in such a way that Noah would look up and make eye contact.

Noah shook his head, not looking up from Daddy’s neck. Dave ignored that, filling a sippy cup with grape juice and ice.

“I’m sorry; he’s really not usually shy,” Dave apologized again.

Josh smiled, holding out a hand, “Let me carry that,” he said, gesturing to the sippy cup. “He’s fine. Babies warm up to me, and he will too. Huh, bug?” 

Noah stiffened, growling, “Not bug.”

“Noah Aaron,” Daddy admonished. “Be polite.”

“Not bug,” Noah insisted again.

“I’m sorry; it’s my nickname for him. I’m the only one who calls him that.” Dave apologized. He had known that Noah would be nervous, but he hadn’t expected outright rudeness. “Noah Aaron, you don’t talk to our guests that way.”

“Not my guest.”

“Excuse us,” Dave said, walking Noah over to the playpen. He put Noah down, inside, then leaned down to make eye contact. “You will be polite to Daddy’s friends, or you’ll have to spend some time thinking. You let me know when you’re ready to be nice.”

Noah’s eyes flooded with tears. It was already starting. He turned away from Dave, curling onto his side. He didn’t need Daddy. He didn’t need anybody.

Dave straightened up and walked over to Josh. “Let’s go sit on the couch. I can watch him from there.”

Josh nodded, following Dave to the couch. “I brought him a present. I know this is probably hard for him.”

“Don’t want presents,” Noah muttered. He remained curled on his side, listening to Daddy and stupid Josh talking. 

After a while, the timer on the oven went off, and Daddy went to get the ravioli. Once he’d done that, he went over to the playpen and squatted down so he was eye level with Noah.

“Baby, look at me,” he ordered, his voice soft. “Noah,” he said, when the baby didn’t listen. 

Noah rolled over, looking at Daddy, eyes red, and Dave smiled at him. “Oh baby....do you want to come out?”

“I-” Noah stopped, not sure. He didn’t know what he wanted. Except, Daddy gave good cuddles, and Noah figured that would probably make him feel a little bit better. He nodded.

“Can you be my nice boy?” Dave asked.

Noah nodded, and when Daddy stood up to reach for him, Noah clung. Thumb in his mouth, he went back to hiding his face against Daddy’s neck. Dave rocked back and forth for a moment, rubbing his back and humming.

Finally, he asked, “Are you ready to eat dinner, my baby?”

Noah nodded, sniffling a little, and Daddy carefully carried him to the high chair and strapped him in. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he murmured, stroking Noah’s cheek.

“Can I help?” Josh asked, careful to stand out of Noah’s sight line. Poor baby was clearly upset, and Josh didn’t want to make it any worse.

“Yeah,” Dave smiled, grateful. “Um, do you mind grabbing the salad?”

Together, they put dinner on the table, while Noah watched with a guarded expression. Daddy served him some ravioli, adding a little salad and a piece of garlic bread. 

“Okay, my baby. Are you going to feed yourself tonight?” Dave asked. Noah shook his head, opening his mouth like a baby bird. 

That was weird. Noah let Daddy feed him, but he typically jumped at any opportunity to feed himself. Dave obligingly spooned bites of ravioli into his mouth, carrying on a conversation with Josh as they ate. Noah didn’t join in, but he was quiet.

After dinner, Daddy carried Noah to the living room, and they sat together on the couch. Josh tried to engage Noah in conversation, and after what seemed an interminable period to Dave and Josh, Noah slowly peeked at Josh and answered a question.

Things got slowly more relaxed after that. Noah uncurled from Daddy, allowing himself to look at Josh and answer questions. He kept his thumb in his mouth, and he wouldn’t leave Daddy’s lap, but he answered. He could tell that Daddy wanted him to.

When bedtime rolled around, Josh left. Dave told him that he didn’t have to, but Josh insisted.

“I’m thinking that someone probably has a bedtime routine, and would probably prefer to have his daddy all to himself,” Josh said. He reached out a hand, gently stroking Noah’s back. “I’ll come back and see you another time? Maybe we’ll play?”

Noah stiffened, and Josh pulled his hand away. “Bye sweetheart,” he murmured. He smiled at Dave. “Thanks for dinner. I’ll talk to you later.”

After he slipped out the door, Daddy carried Noah up to the nursery and got him ready for bed. “Bug, you’ve got to tell Daddy when you’re wet. You’ll get an icky rash if you don’t,” Dave admonished.

“I didn’t wanna say in fronta Daddy’s friend,” Noah mumbled, playing with Oscar as Dave changed him.

“Why, bug? Daddy wouldn’t have changed you in front of Josh. We could have gone upstairs,” Dave explained, snapping the sides of the clean diaper. “Do you need monster jammies?”

“Yes please,” Noah said, smiling a little at Daddy. Dave still remembered his best pajamas, even if he liked stupid Josh who talked baby talk to Noah.

“Shall we rock?” Dave asked, once Noah was in his jammies. He was happy to see a real smile from Noah at that point, and he carried the boy to the rocking chair and sat down. Setting a gentle rhythm, Daddy held the bottle to Noah’s lips and smiled down at his boy. “See?” he murmured. “I told you Josh was nice.”

Noah made a face at that, pushing the bottle away, “He talks baby talk to me.”

“Yeah...he’ll learn.”

Noah looked at Daddy, face serious, then forced himself to sit up more. Raising both of his hands to Daddy’s face, he held it still. “I don’t want him to learn.”

“No?” Dave asked, smiling even as Noah squished his face.

“No,” Noah replied, leaning forward, and kissing Daddy on the lips.

“No!” Dave said, pulling away quickly. “Noah! No-” he stopped, head spinning. He took a deep breath, and then said, “You’re not...you’re too little for that, Noah. We don’t kiss Daddy like that. Do you understand?”

Noah had felt Dave kissing him back, for just a split second, and he stared up at Daddy’s face, confused and frightened. Daddy was mad now, and Noah didn’t get it because Daddy kind of....biting his lip, Noah nodded his head quickly, eyes wide. It didn’t matter if he understood it. He’d made Daddy mad, and it was his fault.

“Noah, it’s time for bed,” Dave said, standing up and walking Noah to the crib. After he laid the boy down, he held the bottle. “Do you want the rest of your formula?”

Noah shook his head, and Daddy grabbed the extra bottle, the one he’d filled with water, and put in the crib with the baby. Pulling the blanket over Noah’s shoulder, he gave the baby a quick kiss on the forehead, and said, “Night Noah,” before he turned on the nightlight, and left the room.

In the crib, Noah hugged Oscar to his chest. He’d made Daddy mad. He’d made Daddy so mad that he wasn’t going to finish giving Noah his bottle while they rocked, and he didn’t say, ‘Sweet dreams, bug’. Or baby. Or my Noah. He’d made Daddy so mad that Daddy didn’t care if his Noah had nightmares because Noah wasn’t his Noah. He was just Noah.

All by himself, in his crib, Noah slowly began rocking his body back and forth. He clutched Oscar and stuck his thumb in his mouth. And he rocked. He rocked until he fell asleep, face stained with tears.

Downstairs, sitting in the living room, Dave drank a beer and stared into space. When he finished the bottle, still with no answers, he took out his cell phone and called Blaine. He was in over his head, and he needed help.

He didn’t bother with small talk. As soon as he heard someone answer the phone, he burst out, “Noah just kissed me,” waiting for Blaine’s advice.

“It took him long enough,” Kurt said, smiling widely at Daddy and mouthing what Uncle Dave had just said.

“Kurt, let me talk to Daddy,” Uncle Dave said irritably.

Kurt frowned at that, “Don’t snap at me. I didn’t kiss you. Not in a long time, an’ technically? You kissed me that time.” He looked at Daddy, “Uncle Dave wants you; be careful though, he’s bein’ cranky.”

“Go get your jammies on, okay kitten?” Daddy smiled at Kurt, taking the phone and giving him a kiss. “Thank you sweetpea. I’ll talk to Uncle Dave, then we can read?”

Kurt nodded, happily going back to the bedroom and changing into his pajamas. After washing and moisturizing his face, Kurt sat down on the bed and waited with James James. He didn’t think they’d be reading stories; Kurt wanted to discuss whatever Daddy and Uncle Dave were talking about. Kurt knew it had to be good. James James loved gossip.

Blaine was trying to talk Dave down. “He kissed you. Not the other way around. He kissed you. So maybe he’s trying to tell you something.”

“He’s straight.”

“Maybe he’s not.”

“It’s Noah Puckerman. He’s straight. He’s possibly the straightest man I’ve ever met; he’s not interested.”

“He kissed you,” Blaine pointed out again. 

“He’s confused,” Dave insisted. “He’s confused. He’s used to me taking care of him, and he’s convinced himself that he wants this, or that I want this, or that he needs to give-he’s confused, Blaine.”

“Fine,” Blaine said, feeling like throwing the phone. “He’s straight, and he’s confused. What’re you calling for if you’ve already figured this out?”

Before Dave could answer, he heard a noise in the nursery. “I’ve gotta go. Noah’s up.”

“What’re you going to do?” Blaine asked.

“I don’t know,” Dave irritably replied, ending the call and starting up the steps.

Noah was asleep in the crib, feet kicking a bit as he dreamed. He was restless, mumbling in his sleep.

Dave wanted to go to the crib, bring down the side, and pick his baby up, but he stood in the doorway a moment. Then Noah started whimpering.

“Daddy. Daddy. Daddy,” he called, still asleep. 

That made Dave move. He was at the crib before he even thought about it, going through the same motions he’d done so many times since Noah moved in. He slid the side down, then sat on the mattress.

“Noah, wake up,” he murmured, pulling Noah into his lap. “It’s okay baby. Daddy’s here. Wake up. It’s just a dream. Just a bad dream. Daddy’s here.”

It took Noah a minute, but he roused enough to clutch at Daddy, crying. “You goed away. You goed away and leaveded me. Where were you?” he whimpered.

“I was just downstairs, baby. Daddy was on the phone. That’s all. I didn’t leave,” Dave murmured, rocking a little. “Should we cuddle a little?”

Noah nodded, not letting go of Daddy when he stood. Dave grabbed the blanket, Oscar, and Noah’s bottle, and walked them over to the chair. Rocking, Daddy tried to think of what to say. Noah couldn’t stand the silence. 

“I’m sorry I was bad, but I won’t never kiss you no more if you promise you won’t make me go away,” he whispered. “I promise. Not never. Promise, Daddy. Just you stay. Okay? You stay wif me?”

Dave’s heart hurt, and he hugged Noah, while whispering fiercely, “I’m not going anywhere. You can do absolutely anything, no matter how bad it is, and you’re stuck with Daddy. I promise. Do you understand that, my Noah? Daddy promises you that he is not going anywhere. Because I love you, and nothing that happens would ever change that.”

Noah had stuck his thumb in his mouth, and he considered that. After a moment, he said, “Then why you not tell me ‘sweet dreams, bug’? You didn’t call me your Noah or your baby. Because I makeded you mad, and you didn’t wanna be here no more.”

“No, I was just surprised. I wasn’t mad. I didn’t expect you to kiss me like that, bug. That’s all. You don’t have to do that. Do you understand? Babies don’t kiss their daddies that way.”

“Kurt does wif Uncle Blaine.”

Dave nodded, using a line that Uncle Blaine had suggested long before this issue. “Houses have different rules. In this house, we don’t do that.”

Noah nodded, very unhappy with that. Daddy wanted kisses, and Noah wanted to give him kisses, but Daddy didn’t want Noah’s kisses, so now stupid Josh was going to do it, and then Daddy wouldn’t want Noah at all. Eventually. 

When Noah didn’t say anything else, Daddy gave him another hug, asking, “Do you understand what I’m telling you? I love you, and that’s never going to change, but you’re too little to play those games with Daddy.”

He got another nod, and then Daddy stood up. “I think it’s time for someone to go back to sleep.”

Noah didn’t want to. He didn’t want to have stupid nightmares all by himself in the stupid crib. But, Daddy wanted him there, and Noah had been bad enough for one night. So, he allowed himself to be carried to the crib and tucked back in. Daddy covered him up, gave him a kiss, then stroked the hair away from his forehead as he murmured, “Sweet dreams, bug. No more nightmares tonight, okay? Have Oscar keep them away.”

Noah looked up at Daddy, nodding again, then curled onto his side. Daddy said not to have bad dreams, and Noah was going to sleep and be good. If he was good for Daddy, maybe he’d get to stay longer.

Dave gave Noah a few days. He tried to keep things as normal as possible, although he didn’t let Noah sleep with him. He did, however, keep reiterating what he’d already told Noah. Daddy loved him, forever, and nothing would change that. Eventually though, the subject of Josh had to be brought up.

“Noah, Josh would really like to come over and play again.”

Noah was sitting on the floor with Daddy, playing with his blocks. He focused on the tower, not wanting to look at Daddy. Noah was going to be a good boy. Daddy liked Josh, and Noah wanted Daddy to be happy, so he was going to be nice to Josh. Maybe if he was nice enough, then he could stay with Daddy. Josh might be dumb, but he did try to be nice. And Daddy promised, so Noah was going to try. Even if it was scary.

“When?” he asked, quiet.

Dave smiled, pleased that the baby hadn’t immediately rejected the idea. Reaching, he pulled Noah into his lap. “I invited him to come over tomorrow, bug. He really likes you, and he’s excited about playing with you. He said he’s going to bring that present you didn’t open last time.”

Noah nodded, squirming off of Daddy’s lap and returning to playing. Dave let it go, and they spent their day the way they usually would. Noah was more independent and quieter than usual, but he behaved himself. 

Josh showed up the next day, with a present as promised. He actually brought an entire bag of them, along with brownies that he’d picked up from a local bakery. Dave smiled; he was clearly going all out to get Noah to like him.

Noah hadn’t wanted to get the door with Daddy. Instead, he was sitting on the living room floor, playing with his dinosaurs.

“Hi sweetheart,” Josh said, dropping to his knees several feet away. “I’m so happy to see you again.”

Noah looked up, smiling briefly, then returned to what he was doing, and Dave didn’t bother to say anything. The baby would talk when he was ready.

Dave sank down to sit beside the baby, tapping his knee, “Josh brought you something, baby. Do you want to open your present?”

Noah looked up then, nodding slowly. Before he took anything from Josh, he wiggled his way onto Daddy’s lap, holding Oscar.

“Who’s this?” Josh asked, voice soft.

Noah held him out. He was going to try. Because that would make Daddy happy. “Oscar,” he whispered.

“Oscar’s Noah’s friend,” Daddy said, hugging Noah. “He chases nightmares away.”

Josh handled Oscar carefully, holding the stuffed toy gently and quickly handing him back. “I can see how that would work. Oscar seems pretty scary.”

Noah smiled at that, gratefully accepting the monster back and hugging him. “He’s terr’fying.”

“I’ll have to remember to stay on his good side then,” Josh murmured, opening up the large shopping bag beside himself. “Let’s see what I brought,” he said, carefully pulling out several brightly wrapped presents and pushing them over.

Before Noah could unwrap anything, Daddy caught his hands, “What do you say to Josh, bug?”

“Fank you,” Noah mumbled, not making eye contact.

“You’re very welcome, sweetheart. I hope you like what I got you.”

Noah slowly began unwrapping the presents, avoiding eye contact with both men as they talked over his head. He smiled when he got the first gift free, twisting to show it to Dave.

“Look, Daddy!” he held the box out. It was the huge wooden block set. Noah liked his blocks, but he didn’t have a set this big. This was the good one! 

“Wow,” Dave said, giving Josh a look. He knew exactly how much that set cost because he’d looked at it on Amazon. “That’s a pretty nice gift.”

Josh rolled his eyes, “You mentioned that Noah didn’t have a ton of toys yet since he just came to live with you a few months ago, and you said he liked blocks.”

Noah smiled shyly, making eye contact, “Fank you.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

Noah looked longingly at the blocks, wanting to open them up and play now, but Josh gently tugged them out of his hands, “Why don’t you see the other stuff?”

He reluctantly let go of the blocks, reaching for another package and opening it. Josh explained, “Daddy said you really liked dinosaurs, and I figured that you could play with that when he’s busy doing something and you have to sit in your high chair.”

He got another smile as Noah looked at the reusable dinosaur stickers, then reached for another present. By the time Noah was done, he was feeling a little bit better about Josh. He’d gotten Noah some pretty cool stuff, including a weird, squishy, thing that Noah had no idea what it was, but Josh said was good for playing with when Noah was having a bad day.

“Those are a lot of nice presents,” Dave said, raising an eyebrow.

Josh defended himself, holding up his hands, “I swear I won’t bring stuff every time. I just figured that Noah needed new toys.”

Before Daddy could remind him again, Noah looked up and smiled at Josh, “Fank you.”

“You are so welcome, sweetheart. Thank you for letting me come and see you and your daddy again. I’ve been waiting for a long time to have fun with you.”

Noah smiled shyly, sliding off of Daddy’s lap and reaching for the blocks, “You build wif me?” he offered.

Josh smiled happily, quickly pulling the plastic wrap off of the blocks and pushing the container over. “I’d love to,” he said.

Dave sat back, allowing Noah to play with Josh. He got a couple of quick smiles, and Noah checked in often to make sure he hadn’t moved, but they played together.

Noah became progressively chattier, scooting closer to Josh as he directed their play. After a while, Dave wanted to get up and stretch.

“Baby?” he asked, “Do you mind if I go and get myself something to drink?”

Noah looked up at him then, biting his lip, but then nodding. “I will play with Josh. It’s okay,” he said, sounding like he was trying to make himself believe it.

“It’s okay if you want-” Josh started, but Noah cut him off.

“We will play. Daddy will come back.”

Dave nodded, leaning forward to give Noah a kiss. “Daddy will absolutely be back in just a minute. Do you and Josh want brownies?”

That was a little bit more than Noah was willing to handle right now, and he shook his head. “No fank you.”

“We’re fine,” Josh said, smiling at Dave. Things were going well. Noah was adapting. Josh didn’t want to push it.

Dave hurried out to the kitchen to fill his glass with water, and Noah stared determinedly at the blocks, breathing slightly faster than usual.

“Thanks for playing with me,” Josh said. He really wanted to touch Noah, to stroke his cheek or hold his hand. He really liked him. But, he didn’t want to freak Noah out.

Noah nodded, swallowing hard. “Daddy wants us to play. He likes you, and he wants me to be nice. It makes him happy, and I like making Daddy happy.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Josh murmured, “You are being such a brave boy for Daddy, and I don’t think you could do anything other than make him happy.”

Noah glanced up at that, chin distinctly wobbly, “Daddy likes you, but he promised that I get to stay.” 

“Of course you get to stay,” Josh told him. Dave had talked a lot about Noah, and Josh knew that the little boy was very nervous and insecure. 

Noah nodded, “I’ll be good,” he promised, chin wobbling more and eyes filling with tears. “I promise.”

“Noah,” Josh said, forgetting that he wasn’t supposed to touch. Pulling him into his lap, Joah gave him a hug. “It’s not about being good. Daddy doesn’t love you because you’re good; he loves you because he loves you.”

He had stiffened at first, but then Noah allowed himself to relax back against Josh. A few tears leaked out. That’s when Daddy walked back in.

“What’s wrong?” he said, dropping to his knees and reaching out for his baby. Josh was actually pretty comfortable, but Noah didn’t hesitate to grab for Daddy. “What happened?” Dave murmured, rocking a little bit.

“We were just talking,” Josh said, watching them with an intense aching sensation in his chest. “Noah’s worried. We were talking about it.”

“What did you say?” Dave asked, glaring at him.

That wasn’t fair, and Noah forced himself to unbury his face long enough to say, “Isn’t Josh’s fault, Daddy. He was bein’ nice.”

Dave realized that he was probably being a little ridiculous, and he nodded, smiling apologetically. “Sorry. I just-”

“Daddy worries, Noah. It’s okay. Daddy was just worried I was being mean to you. It’s because he loves you.”

“‘m okay,” Noah mumbled, hugging himself close to Daddy and sticking his thumb in his mouth.

“Alright,” Josh said. “I think I could use a brownie now. Do you mind?” he asked, standing up.

“No, it’s fine. They’re in the kitchen. Knives are in the drawer near the sink.”

“Noah, do you want one?” Josh asked, squatting back down to make eye contact. The little boy nodded hesitantly.

“Should I bring one for Daddy?” 

Noah twisted a bit, looking up at Dave’s face, then nodding. “Please,” he mumbled, around his thumb.

“You have such nice manners,” Josh praised, straightening up and going to the kitchen. He figured he’d give them a minute.

“Baby, are you okay?” Dave asked quietly, hugging him and rocking.

Noah nodded, sucking furiously on his thumb.

“Do you want me to ask him to leave? I will, if that’s what you want.”

Noah shook his head at that, whispering, “Josh is nice. He can stay. He didn’t do nofin’ wrong Daddy.” He waited a moment, then said, “I really really don’t have to go anywhere? You promise?”

“Daddy promises,” Dave repeated patiently. “Daddy promises that you don’t ever have to go. Remember when you first got here, and you wanted to leave? And I wouldn’t let you? That’s because Daddy loves you way too much to let you go someplace else.”

“I ‘member.”

“No matter who is here, you are my baby, and I love you,” Dave continued. “Always always always. You come first.”

“Josh is nice, Daddy.”

“He is. But if you don’t want him in here, that’s okay.”

“He can stay.”

Dave nodded, “Alright, but if you change your mind, you let Daddy know. Okay?”

“‘k Daddy. But he’s nice. He bringed me toys.”

“Yeah. That’s not going to be a habit though, got it, bug?”

Noah nodded, forcing himself to let go of Daddy and slide off of his lap. “Josh is nice. He is playin’ wif me, and that’s nice. And you promised that I get to stay.”

“Yup,” Dave said, reaching out with one hand to stroke Noah’s cheek. “And have you ever seen me make a promise I didn’t keep?”

“No,” Noah said, smiling a little. 

Josh had been waiting in the kitchen, but it sounded like they’d worked everything out. So, he came back out, carrying a napkin with several brownies. “I got the kind without walnuts. I hope that’s okay.”

Sitting down next to Noah, Josh offered him a brownie, which the boy accepted. “I don’t like walnuts in brownies. Brownies is supposed to be only delicious.”

“I can see that,” Josh replied, smiling. “I’m guessing oatmeal cookies shouldn’t have raisins in them, then?”

“Course not,” Noah said, rolling his eyes. “Raisins is nature’s conmen. They pretend to be choc’late chips, but they’re not. Very sneaky.”

“Sneaky jerks. It’s just unethical,” Josh joked, smiling widely.

Noah nodded at that, pleased that Josh recognized the validity to his argument. Maybe he could bring Josh around to his side on the never ending arguments about breakfast.

Leaning forward conspiratorially, Noah asked, “How you feel about doughnuts for breakfast?”

The second play date went much better than the first. Noah warmed up to Josh, and he had fun. He was actually looking forward to Josh coming back to play again, and when Josh arrived several days later for a third play date, Noah raced to the door, getting there before Daddy.

Grabbing the door, Noah got it open and smiled at Josh. “Hi!” he said, reaching out to take Josh’s hands and tow him inside. He stopped smiling when Josh didn’t move. “Come on!” he insisted.

Josh shook his head, pulling his hands away. “I’m heard you aren’t supposed to open up the door without Daddy, Noah.”

Noah made a face. So, it had maybe been a little, teeny, tiny problem, that Noah would get to the door in front of Daddy. Usually when he was expecting Kurt and Uncle Blaine, but occasionally with deliveries.

“Did that rule change?” Josh asked.

The baby clenched his fists, glaring at Josh then, “You can’t tell me what to do.” Dave showed up then, and Noah turned to look at him, “Daddy! Josh can’t tell me what to do, can he? He is not my boss.”

Josh held up his hands in a placating gesture, “I just told him that I thought he wasn’t supposed to open up the door without you.”

Dave nodded, giving Noah a look. “Was Josh wrong? Are you allowed to get the door without Daddy?”

“No,” Noah gritted out, glaring at the floor. That was not fair. Josh was supposed to come over and play games with him. Not tell Daddy that he’d maybe a little bit broken a rule.

“Okay then. You know where you need to go then,” Dave said, smiling at Josh and waving him inside.

“Daddy! But-”

“Time out, Noah Aaron. Do you need help?”

Noah turned, stomping off to the corner, pout firmly on his face. “Is still not fair,” he tossed over his shoulder.

Josh leaned in, kissing Dave. “Hi,” he murmured. “I’m sorry if I overstepped, but you mentioned that it’s been a problem...”

“It’s fine. He knows better. And, I’m sorry about the attitude, but we’re still working on doing what we’re told. I figure doing that with a good attitude is a ways away.”

“He’s fine. You having a day?”

Dave snorted at that, “You mean with my little angel? Someone was just looking forward to you coming over, and I think he got a little too excited,” he explained, leading Josh into the kitchen.

“Not too ‘cited,” Noah muttered. “I don’t even want stinky Josh to visit.”

“Noah, do I have a cranky baby who needs a nap?”

Noah turned around at that, eyes wide, “No!” he blurted out. He’d baked cookies with Daddy, and Daddy had said they could dec’rate them with Josh. He didn’t want stupid naptime instead. “No no no! ‘m sorry.”

“Okay, bug,” Dave said, watching him closely. “I want to see you do your time out like my good baby then, understand?”

Noah nodded, turning back around to stare at the wall. Time out was for forever, and Noah couldn’t help but fidget a little. After a minute, he said, “Daddy? Can I sit?”

“Go on,” Daddy told him. Dave and Josh were seated at the kitchen counter, talking quietly, while Daddy watched Noah in the corner in the living room. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he told Josh. Daddy stopped in the corner, murmuring something to Noah, then he went upstairs. When he returned, he dropped Oscar in Noah’s lap and draped the blanket around his shoulders.

“Fank you,” Noah said, looking up at Daddy and smiling. Dave had mellowed on time out, and Noah felt a lot better thinking by himself if he had Oscar with him. He began the familiar, repetitive, rubbing of Oscar’s neck fuzz.

“Soft touch,” Josh murmured to Daddy, smiling at the boy.

Dave blushed a bit at that, smiling at the man. “I can’t help it. He hates time out, and I know it’s supposed to be a punishment, but it turns into torture if he just has to sit by himself. If he’s got Oscar, he relaxes enough to remember what he’s supposed to be thinking about.”

They sat together, talking, both men frequently stopping to watch Noah. The boy was sitting on the ground, hunched over Oscar, thumb in his mouth.

“Can he be done yet?” Josh asked, feeling badly for the little boy.

“Now who’s a soft touch?” Dave teased, standing up and walking over to his baby. “Hey sweetheart,” he murmured, squatting down to Noah’s level. “Can you remember what you’re going to try to do?”

Noah looked at him, nodding solemnly, “No openin’ the doors outside wifout Daddy. Or sometimes Uncle Blaine, if he’s here.”

“That’s my good boy,” Dave murmured, pulling Noah into a hug. “Do you want to tell Josh ‘hello’ again?”

Noah pressed his face to Daddy’s neck, feeling a little embarrassed now. He didn’t like getting punished in front of other people, and now he was thinking about how he’d been acting, “Josh is mad?”

Dave sat down on the ground, pulling Noah into his lap, “Josh, can you come here?” he said, waiting for the other man to join them, “Noah is worried that you’re upset with him.”

For the first time, Dave realized exactly how much Josh wanted a baby of his own. The other man reached out, laying a gentle hand on Noah’s back, “Why would I be mad, sweetheart?”

Noah peeked out from where he’d hidden himself against Daddy, “Acause I was naughty and yelled and called you stinky.”

“I’m not mad,” Josh reassured him. “Sometimes I get a little cranky too. Are you ready to play with me now?”

“You still wanna play wif me?”

“Of course I want to play with you. I had lots of fun last time,” Josh told him. “What’re we doing today?”

Noah turned a little, “Me an’ Daddy baked cookies to dec’rate. Wif no raisins though.”

“Well of course with no raisins,” Josh smiled, standing up and reaching a hand down to pull the baby to his feet. 

After the rough start, they had a good time. Daddy had laughed as he watched them pile obscene amounts of frosting onto each individual cookie and sneak sugar when they thought he wasn’t watching.

At some point, Noah decided that Josh was going to stay for dinner, and then convinced Josh to join him in his lobbying for pizza. Daddy drew the line at eating in front of the television, but it was a fun night. They ate pizza together in the dining room, Noah laughing at Josh’s joke, and they turned on the television and watch Aladdin together.

After the movie, Dave turned off the television. “It’s time for little boys to have their baths,” he murmured, kissing the top of Noah’s head. 

“No fank you. I not feelin’ like a bath,” Noah explained seriously. His eyes were heavy, but he was sitting between Daddy and Josh, and Josh was comfortable, warm and and solid at his side.

Daddy smiled, standing up and reaching out his hands. “That’s good because you’re not a bath. You’re a boy. Come on; if you hurry up, I bet I can find the bath crayons. Say good bye to Josh.”

Noah shook his head, looking at Josh, “You don’t wanna go yet, do you? We is having fun.” He made his eyes as big and innocent as possible, as he tried to convince Josh to side with him.

Josh was thrilled that Noah liked him, but he figured it wasn’t going to do him any good to undermine Dave. “I’m having a wonderful time, cookie monster, but Daddy said it’s bath time. You probably need to scrub some of that frosting off. I’ll come back and see you another day. Okay?”

Noah reluctantly stood, dragging himself over to the stairs. At the last moment, he stopped, although he didn’t look at Josh and Daddy, “You could maybe stay and read me my stories? We is reading ‘bout Nobody.”

“Um,” Josh stammered, looking at Dave. They hadn’t talked about this, and Josh wasn’t sure how Dave was going to feel. When he got a shrug, Josh tried, “If you want. I’ll stay down here while Daddy helps you get washed up?”

“‘k,” Noah said, trying his best for nonchalant and failing miserably. He started up the steps, making it up to the second floor bathroom while the two men left in the living room stared at each other.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Josh rushed, worried.

Dave took a deep breath, shaking his head, “I have no fucking clue if it’s okay. But he invited you, and I-I want him to learn how to ask people to do what he needs. It’s a big deal for him to ask anyone for anything, so we’ll try it.”

“I’ll wait down here,” Josh replied, sitting back down. “If he decides he needs me to leave, just let me know. It’s not a big deal. But what does he mean, that you’re reading about Nobody?”

“Nobody Owens; we’re reading The Graveyard Book-” Dave was interrupted.

“Daddy! Is time for takin’ baths now! You said! What is you doin’?” Noah called, stomping down the steps.

“I’m being summoned. We’ll be down in a little bit,” Dave said, turning and going toward the stairs; he followed his baby up to the bathroom and filling the tub. 

He looked up at Noah, who was standing next to the tub, fiddling with his overall straps. The baby looked nervous.

“Come ‘ere cuddle bug,” he said, pulling the boy into his lap. “You invited Josh to read you stories.”

Noah bit his lip, then nodded, “Is okay? You gots to read to me all the time...”

“I get to read to you all the time,” Daddy corrected, unstrapping overalls and helping Noah lift up enough to pull them off. “Because I’m really lucky that way. But it’s absolutely okay with me, if it’s okay with you.”

Noah nodded, still nibbling on his lip as Daddy undressed him and helped him into the tub, and he remained quiet throughout the bath and getting redressed in a fresh diaper and his monster jammies.

Once that was accomplished, Noah carefully made his way down the stairs, carrying his book and climbed back beside Josh on the couch. Handing Josh the book, Noah hugged Oscar and sucked his thumb.

“Read,” he mumbled around his thumb, leaning his head against Josh’s shoulder.

Dave went into the kitchen, preparing a bottle, and Noah tensed up a little as Josh started. Hugging Oscar tighter, Noah didn’t realize that Josh had stopped until he felt gentle stroking on his arm, “It’s okay, cookie monster. Daddy just went to get you a bottle. Do you want to go into the kitchen with him?”

“Daddy is coming back,” Noah whispered. “He is getting my bottle, then he is coming back. We is reading, but Daddy will come back.”

“Honey, let’s go into the kitchen,” Josh said, standing up. When Noah remained frozen on the couch, looking like he was edging toward a panic attack, Josh hauled him up onto his hip and hurried into the kitchen. “See? Daddy’s just in here making your bottle. He’s not going anywhere.”

Dave stopped what he was doing, rushing over to the man and reaching for his baby, “Noah, come here.”

The baby allowed himself to be transferred, clinging tensely to Daddy when that was done. Dave began swaying a little, rubbing Noah’s back.

“What happened?” he asked Josh.

Josh shrugged, “I don’t know. He seemed okay until he realized you’d gone to make his bottle. I think he’s just a little overwhelmed; we tried to do too much today.”

Dave nodded, shifting the baby then murmuring into his ear when Noah whined wordlessly and gripped tighter.

“Noah,” Josh said, reaching out one hand to stroke at Noah’s cheek. “Baby? Can you look at me for a minute?” He waited until Noah peeked, then continued, “I had such a good time with you today, cookie monster, but I think it’s time for me to go home. Is that okay? You and Daddy can finish reading your bedtime story while you have your bottle, and Daddy’ll call me later to let me know if you’re ready for me to come visit another day.”

The baby nodded a little, allowing himself to be carried to the door so that they could say good bye.

“Bug, can you tell Josh bye bye?” Daddy asked, still swaying.

Noah peeked out again, saying, “Bye,” before he buried his face yet again. He mumbled indistinctly.

“What was that, cookie?” Josh asked, stepping closer. He felt awful, and he really just wanted to leave. He had thought this was going well, but Noah clearly didn’t, and Josh liked him way too much to put him through this kind of stress.

Lifting his head, but keeping his eyes downcast so he didn’t have to make eye contact, Noah whispered, “You could come play ‘gain? If you wanted?”

Josh wanted to plan something else, right that minute, but he forced himself to stay calm. “Noah, I think you’re sleepy right now, and it’s been a big day. You and Daddy should talk about whether I’m coming to visit again when you’re feeling a little bit less tired. I love playing with you, but you and Daddy need to have a talk about it.”

Josh straightened then, smiling at Dave before he left. He really wanted Dave to call. He wanted to come back. He liked them both. But, and this was a huge thing, he didn’t want Noah just coping with him because he felt like he had to do it, out of some misguided sense that Daddy wanted him to. 

He would go home, and he would wait. And if Dave was going to call, then he would.

Dave finished their nightly routine, reading to Noah before grabbing the night night bottle and going upstairs to rock and chat. Daddy went through their day together, with Noah answering questions and commenting as he wanted.

“An’ I was a little bit naughty, but I had time out wif Oscar, and Josh said he wasn’t mad at me,” Noah mumbled, eyelids drooping.

Dave nodded. Noah never forgot any part of the day where he’d gotten reprimanded, and he insisted upon rehashing it at night. “Yeah. You were a little bit embarrassed about time out, I think.”

Noah nodded, fighting sleep. It was hard, curled up warm against Daddy’s chest, but Noah could tell that Daddy wanted to talk about something else, and Noah liked this part of the day. It was just him and Daddy, and Daddy paid attention to him, just him. They cuddled, and nothing else mattered because this was special time with just Noah and Daddy.

“Bug, I want you to be completely honest when you answer Daddy’s question, okay?” Dave waited until he got a sleepy nod, then he asked, “Do you like Josh? I am so proud of you for giving him a chance and getting to know him, but do you like him?”

“Josh is nice,” Noah mumbled, around a giant yawn. “We had cookies.”

“Yeah, you guys had cookies today. Is it okay for Josh to come over again? Because it’s up to you, bug, and it seemed like you got a little bit upset today.”

Noah shrugged, trying to explain even though he was sleepy now. “Josh is nice. He can play ‘gain. He said he’d come back and play.”

Dave nodded, not entirely satisfied with the conversation, but recognizing that he wasn’t going to get anything more articulate out of Noah at this point in the evening. So, after tucking the baby in, Daddy went downstairs. He needed Blaine.


	4. Chapter 4

“I have no idea what I’m doing,” he started, quickly filling Blaine in on the Josh situation and how Noah was acting. 

“He’s just...he says he likes Josh. And I like Josh. But I love Noah, and I don’t want him to pretend like everything is okay if it’s not.”

Blaine started to respond, but he was interrupted by the distant sound of Noah whimpering. Dave sighed, standing up and starting toward the nursery.

“I have to go. He’s awake.”

Before Dave could hang up, Blaine said, “I’ve got some vacation time, and Kurt’s schedule is flexible. Why don’t we come down for the weekend? We can be there tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yeah,” Dave said, feeling less stressed out. “Maybe Noah will talk to you. Or to Kurt. Although,” he continued, leaning against a wall, “he actually kind of talks to Josh. Like, he told Josh he was scared, and he invited Josh to stay for dinner and read stories...I think-I don’t-”

Noah whimpered again, crying out for Daddy, and Dave said a quick good bye before going up to him.

Flipping on the light, Dave moved to the crib and slid down the side. He didn’t hesitate, pulling Noah onto his lap and beginning the usual routine when Noah had nightmares.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, rubbing Noah’s back. “You’re fine. You had a bad dream, but Daddy’s here, and everything’s fine.”

Noah woke up with a sob, clinging to Daddy and crying incoherently about Daddy being gone, and Josh being there. It took a good twenty minutes of rocking and soothing before his sobs finally settled into the occasional shudder.

They sat in silence for a while, until Noah finally mumbled, “Scary.”

“What’s scary, bug?” Dave asked, standing up and walking to the rocker. “What’s got you scared?”

Noah stuck his thumb in his mouth, cuddling against Daddy and thinking. “I like Josh,” he finally whispered.

“Baby....” Dave trailed off, not sure of what to say. “Do you know what the most important thing is?”

Noah shook his head, so Dave continued, “The most important thing to me is that you’re okay. Josh is nice, but it’s okay if you don’t like him. It’s okay if you don’t want him around.”

“I like Josh, Daddy. I-he’s nice. He can come play. Wif you and wif me. Okay?” Noah asked, looking up at Daddy with a nervous expression.

Dave could tell he wouldn’t get anything else from Noah tonight, and he decided to change the subject. “Do you want some milk, baby?”

“Choc’late?” Noah asked, smiling winningly.

Dave normally didn’t let Noah have chocolate milk after dinner, but he figured that it had been a long day, full of Noah being very brave, and he could bend the rules once.

“Okay, but no telling Uncle Dr. Blaine that I’m giving you sugar after bedtime,” he said, standing up and carrying Noah toward the door.

Noah made grabby hands at his crib, “Oscar too.”

“Oscar too what?” Daddy asked, even as he backtracked to grab the monster and Noah’s blanket.

“Please, Daddy?”

Dave handed over the requested stuffed animal and threw Noah’s blanket over his own shoulder. “Promise you aren’t going to tell Uncle Dr. Blaine?” he teased, carrying the boy down the stairs.

“Promise,” Noah said solemnly. 

“I have some good news,” Daddy told Noah, as he began putting together the bottle.

Noah looked up at him, waiting, and Dave continued, “Kurt and Uncle Blaine are going to come see us this weekend.”

The baby smiled broadly at that, and Dave felt a bit more relaxed. Noah loved having play dates, and maybe this would give him time to figure things out.

“Daddy?” Noah asked, once he was holding his bottle in his hands. “Can I-” he stopped, looking down.

Daddy gave him a minute before prompting him, “Can you what, cuddle bug?”

Noah nibbled on his lip, then mumbled, “I know I not ‘posed to sleep in bed wif you, but I won’t tell Uncle Dr. Blaine. Please? I will be very, very good for you, Daddy. Just...no crib? Please?”

Dave had been really trying to keep Noah in the crib at night. He thought sleeping in his bed was too confusing for Noah. But with the nightmare, and how brave Noah was trying to be...

Noah interrupted Daddy’s train of thought, “I won’t kiss you ‘gain, Daddy. Because that was naughty, and not ‘llowed. Please?”

“Baby, kissing me wasn’t naughty,” Dave explained slowly. “I just don’t want you to think you have to kiss Daddy like that. You’re my baby, and you’re just too little. Understand?”

Noah nodded at that, frustrated. He wished that Daddy wanted to kiss him like he kissed Josh, but Daddy didn’t. That was okay though because Daddy still loved Noah, and Noah was his baby.

“Just tonight, bug,” Daddy said, carrying Noah to his bedroom. “Because you had scary dreams.”

Noah nodded again, smiling, “‘k, Daddy. Just tonight.” He bounced a little bit on the bed, then scrambled under the covers, “I unnerstand.”

They had an easy morning the next day. Daddy and Noah baked muffins together, for breakfast with Uncle Blaine and Kurt, and other than being a little clingy, everything was fine.

When the doorbell rang, Daddy was washing his hands, and Noah was playing with his dinosaurs. For the first time in several weeks, Noah didn’t run to the door without Daddy.

As he made his way through the living room, trying to make it to the door before Noah, Dave realized that the baby was still sitting on the floor. Daddy stopped, looking at Noah.

“Baby? Did you hear the door?”

Noah looked up at him, nodding, “Is Uncle Blaine and Kurt, I fink. You gonna let ‘em in now, Daddy?”

“Yeah, bug,” Dave said, reaching out a hand. “Thank you for waiting for Daddy.”

“You telled me to yesterday. And Josh said too,” Noah explained, standing up and taking Daddy’s hand. “‘m a good boy.”

“You are,” Dave said, pulling Noah in to his side for a hug. “But you’re always a good boy. I appreciate you remembering what we talked about yesterday.”

“‘m gonna be good next time Josh comes over so I don’t haveta have time out ‘gain.”

Daddy stopped then, touching Noah’s chin, “You’re always good. You were just a little bit cranky yesterday.”

Noah nodded, not entirely believing Daddy, “Uh huh. But next time? ‘m gonna be not cranky so I don’t gotta have time out.”

“Okay, bug-” the doorbell rang, and Daddy gave Noah a kiss. “You know what? We can talk about this later.”

“At bedtime?” Noah asked, following Daddy to the door.

Dave smiled, “Absolutely. While you have your bottle tonight, we’ll talk about it. Okay?”

“Uh huh. Can I open the door now, Daddy? Please?” Noah asked, squirming a bit as he tried to keep his hands away from it.

Dave nodded, and Noah flung the door open, “‘m ‘llowed if there’s a grown up,” he said, smiling at his guests. “Daddy said.”

“Took you long enough,” Kurt grouched, with a very pouty expression on his face.

Blaine gave Dave a look, then helped Kurt through the door with a none too gentle swat. “In,” he ordered.

“Ouch, Daddy!” Kurt protested, hands flying back. He turned to glare at Blaine, shrinking when he saw the look that was levelled at him.

“Noah,” Uncle Blaine said, still making eye contact with Kurt, “I’m sorry. I know that you were looking forward to playing with Kurt, but someone needs a nap. Get upstairs, now. I want you out of those jeans and shoes and under the covers before I get there Understood?”

Kurt turned tail and ran up the stairs, not bothering to look back and see Blaine grinning at Noah and Dave.

“See? That’s respect,” he told them.

Noah was staring, eyes round, but Dave laughed, “Was he really that bad?”

“Terrible,” Blaine replied, reaching out to pull Noah into a hug. “Hi, peanut. How’re you?”

“Good,” Noah breathed, escaping to the safety of Daddy’s side as soon as he could.

“I think that Kurt isn’t the only one who needs a nap,” Dave said, looking at Noah. “Let’s get you upstairs.”

Uncle Blaine was making Noah a little nervous, so he allowed Daddy to pick him up. After stopping in the living room for Oscar and his blanky, Noah went upstairs. Daddy changed him, then tucked him in.

Sitting beside the baby, Daddy murmured, “Sweet dreams, cuddle bug. Daddy and Uncle Blaine will be downstairs; you call me if you need me. Okay?”

Noah nodded sleepily. He didn’t know how Daddy always knew when he needed a nap when Noah didn’t even know. That didn’t seem entirely fair.

“Love you,” he mumbled.

Daddy smiled at that, leaning forward to kiss Noah, “I love you too, my Noah. I’ll see you in an hour or two.”

Daddy got a faint smile in response to that, but Noah was already halfway asleep. So, after tucking the blankets around Noah’s shoulder and bringing the side of the crib up, Daddy left Noah in the semi-darkened room and went downstairs.

“So, what’s going on with Josh?” Blaine asked, from his spot on the couch.

Dave suddenly felt like he was facing a firing squad. Sitting on the couch, he relayed the entire story to Blaine.

“I don’t know what’s going on. I think that he likes Josh, but then he gets freaked out about stories, and I can’t tell what he’s doing.”

Blaine nodded, asking, “Is Josh a nice guy? Because it sounds like he’s a nice guy who genuinely cares about Noah. That might be scaring him.”

“I don’t know,” Dave moaned, dropping his head back. “I really, honestly, genuinely don’t know what’s going on, and I don’t know what to do.”

“Invite him over,” Blaine calmly instructed. 

“I thought we could take the weekend-”

“Invite him over,” Blaine repeated firmly. “Give Noah a chance to see him when the emphasis isn’t entirely on how well they get along. We’ll see how he does.”

“And by he, do you mean Noah, or do you mean Josh?” Dave asked, giving Blaine a skeptical look.

Blaine smiled sweetly, “Does it matter?”

“Did Kurt beg you to do this?” Dave was feeling even more suspicious.

“Let’s just say that I’m about to the world’s best daddy,” Blaine explained. “I would have told you to do it anyway, and I’ve already warned Kurt about behaving, but he had to meet us eventually.”

“Fiiinnneee,” Dave moaned. Blaine was right. He thought. It was worth a shot. Picking up his phone, he texted Josh an invitation before he could chicken out, then put the phone down. “Done.”

Blaine nodded, smiling wider, “Kurt is going to be thrilled.”

Dave glared at him, not saying anything, and Blaine decided it was time to change the subject. 

“Is Noah sleeping any better?” he asked. 

Blaine managed to keep Dave occupied, discussing Noah’s sleep and eating habits, until Kurt woke up. And woke the baby up. On accident, or so he claimed.

Noah spent most of the rest of the day cranky, having been jerked out of a sound sleep. He was snippy and angry at everyone, but especially Kurt, and Daddy finally took him upstairs to go to sleep. Noah rushed through his nighttime routine, actually running to the rocker and shifting restlessly. 

“Is time to talk now, Daddy,” he insisted, waiting until Dave obligingly sat down so that he could climb onto his lap. “Daddy start,” he said, once he was comfortable.

Dave narrated through their day, right up until the point where they were rocking together, then they sat in silence for several minutes. Just before Daddy stood up and put Noah into his crib, Noah talked.

Reaching up one hand to trace his finger down Daddy’s cheek, Noah said, “Daddy? When Josh comin’ to see me ‘gain?”

“Baby, we need to talk about that,” Dave said softly.

Noah sat up, looking stricken. “You and Josh fight? He not comin’ over no more?”

“No, my baby...Daddy’s just worried that you’re only pretending to like Josh.”

“I like Josh. I love you too though Daddy. Lots and lots and lots. More ‘an Josh. But Josh is fun, and I like him coming over to play. And he was comfy while we watched movies.”

“I want you to feel like you can be honest wi-”

Noah interrupted then, scowling, “Daddy! We has talked about this lots and lots! I telled you I like Josh. Why we still talking ‘bout it?”

“Do we interrupt, bug?” Daddy asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” Noah acknowledged, “An’ I sorry, but I telled you and telled you. Why you keep askin’ me?”

Dave could tell that Noah was getting irritated, and he decided that it was time for bed. “Daddy’s just making sure,” he explained, standing up and carrying the boy to his crib.

“Why I gots to go to bed now? I not sleepy! I wan’...I wan’...” Noah trailed off, stumped as to what he could ask for. Finally, he said, “Is not fair that Kurt is still ‘wake, an’ I gots to sleep.”

He happened to choose exactly the moment when Kurt and Uncle Blaine were headed to the guestroom, and Kurt stopped, sticking his head in the door with an odd expression on his face.

“‘Cause ‘m a big boy,” he said, walking over to the crib.

Blaine came to stand behind him, giving him a little swat. They’d talked about not riling up the baby. “He’s going to bed right now, peanut.”

“I not sleepy yet,” Noah insisted, as Dave resumed settling him into his crib. 

“Well, it’s time for bed,” Daddy told him calmly. “Night night, bug. Sweet dreams. Daddy loves you.” After giving Noah a quick kiss, Dave ushered Blaine and Kurt out of the room, stopping to hit the nightlight and then leaving Noah alone.

“Night, Uncle Dave,” Kurt said, going on tiptoes to hug the man and give him a quick kiss. 

Dave smiled tiredly, giving Kurt a quick squeeze. “Night kiddo. See you tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll be back down in a little bit,” Blaine told him, directing Kurt to the guest room. He quickly got his baby settled. Kurt always slept well at Uncle Dave’s. Then, Blaine returned to the living room. It would be nice to have a chance to talk without the babies.

Kurt waited until he was sure that Daddy and Uncle Dave were downstairs, then he stood up and stealthily crept to the nursery. Luckily for him, Uncle Dave didn’t use the monitor much anymore, so he just had to be quiet, not silent. 

Creeping over to the crib, he knelt down and reached one finger through, poking Noah. When the baby didn’t wake up, he poked harder.

“Wake. Up.” He hissed. “We gots to talk.” 

Noah opened his eyes up, glaring at Kurt and opening his mouth to yell. He didn’t get a chance before a hand clamped over his face.

“No makin’ noise. We gots to talk, and we’ll get in trouble if they hear us.”

Noah sat up, glaring even harder, “Is bedtime,” he hissed. “Daddy said sweet dreams, go to bed, Noah, and that means bedtime. Why you wakin’ me up ‘gain?”

“Because. Daddy said Josh is comin’ over tomorrow, and I wanna know what we gonna do to get rid of him.”

Noah shook his head at that, “We is not gettin’ rid of Josh. We like Josh. He’s nice. He bringed me blocks and dino stickers and a squishy thing to squish when I’m mad. And books. And he watched Aladdin wif me and let me eat frosting. Josh is fun. An’ he don’t wake me up.”

“You want him comin’ to live here? Because he wants to. An’ then you’re gonna have Josh and Daddy tellin’ you what to do, and he’s going to want to cuddle wif Daddy, in Daddy’s bed, and have grown up fun, and you aren’t invited. Not ever.”

He had kind of thought of that, but Kurt just laid it out there. Noah swallowed hard then, shaking his head. “Daddy said I get to stay. Daddy said that if I don’t like Josh, then I get to stay and Josh goes. And Daddy lets me cuddle wif him. And Josh cuddles wif me. You don’t know.”

“I thought you wanted to give Daddy kisses?” Kurt asked, giving Noah a look that made the other boy blush.

Noah swallowed again, then shook his head. Again. “Go ‘way. ‘m ‘posed to be sleepin’. You is ‘posed to be sleepin’. I not gettin’ in trouble because you is bein’ bad. Daddy loves me, and Josh likes me too. Go ‘way. You don’t know ever’thin’.”

Kurt stood up, glaring at Noah. “‘m tryin’ to help you.”

“No,” Noah insisted. He wasn’t going to cry in front of Kurt. “I is sleepin’. Go ‘way or ‘m gonna call for Daddy and Uncle Blaine.”

Kurt should have known that Noah didn’t bluff, but he hadn’t ever pushed the baby that far before. “You should-”

Noah opened his mouth and shrieked loudly. He wanted Kurt out of his room. He didn’t like what stupid Kurt was saying, and he was not getting in trouble with Daddy because Kurt was in here. And Daddy would know because Daddy always found stuff out. Like magic. 

Shocked, Kurt stared at Noah for a minute. That was all it took for Uncle Dave to make it up to the second floor, and Kurt’s attempt to race to the guest bedroom was thwarted.

“What were you doing in there?” Uncle Dave asked, continuing into the nursery where he found Noah sitting in the crib, clearly fighting back tears. His baby held his arms out for him, and Dave dropped the side of the crib and pulled Noah into his lap.

“What’s wrong, my baby? What happened?”

Blaine had followed Dave up the stairs, and he stopped in the doorway of the nursery, “Did he have a nightmare?”

“I don’t know. I do know that I saw your baby coming out of the nursery,” Dave said pointedly. If he hadn’t been so worried about Noah, he would have spanked Kurt himself. At least swatted him a few times.

Noah watched Uncle Blaine leave, and he heard the beginning of a lecture that was cut off by the guest room door shutting. Sniffling spasmodically, he leaned his head against Daddy’s chest and stuck his thumb in his mouth.

“Baby? What happened? What’s got you so upset?” Daddy murmured, standing up. Noah gripped him so tightly that it hurt, but Daddy moved unhurriedly to the rocking chair and sat down. “My good baby. Tell Daddy what’s wrong.”

“Daddy?” Noah said, tracing patterns on Dave’s shirt, “If you like Josh, will you have cuddles in your bed with him?”

Dave stopped rocking at that, and Noah stopped running his finger on Daddy’s chest because he had to grab onto Daddy.

“Sorry! Sorry I asked. Sorry! Don’t be mad at me.”

“Baby,” Daddy began rocking again, “I wasn’t mad. You don’t have to apologize. You just surprised me. That’s all. Everything’s fine. Does Daddy get mad at you?”

Noah shook his head slowly, but tears continued to drip down his face. “‘m sorry,” he whimpered, still holding on tightly.

“Bug, Daddy needs you to tell me what happened. Now please,” Dave murmured, rubbing the baby’s back and rocking.

He whimpered again, trying to shake his head no. “I is okay, Daddy,” he tried.

“Noah, my Noah, Kurt’s already in trouble. You can’t get him in more trouble. Just tell me what’s wrong so we can try to fix it.”

“I-I don’t wanna. Please? I don’t wanna,” Noah begged pathetically. He couldn’t tell Daddy what Kurt said because he didn’t want to give Daddy any ideas. 

“You have to,” Daddy told him, voice gentle. “Daddy needs to know so he can fix it. Come on, baby. You’re not in any trouble.”

“You not gonna get mad at me?” 

“I don’t ever get mad at you,” Dave said, rocking the chair. “I don’t ever ever get mad at my baby. Daddies don’t get mad at their babies. Not ever. I promise.” Dave made Noah look at him then, “Daddy promises. Do you understand?”

Noah looked down, biting his lip, before mumbling, “Kurt says you and Josh is goin’ to have grown up cuddles wifout me, and sleep in the big bed wifout me alla time, and...Daddy, is Josh gonna live here?”

Dave rocked, thinking about what Noah had just said. He could just about kill Kurt right now. After a moment, he said, “Josh is our friend, but nobody is talking about him moving in yet. You do not need to worry about that. Okay? What’s the most important thing?”

“I be okay,” Noah whispered.

“That’s right,” Dave agreed. “The most important thing to Daddy is that my baby is okay. Always. So if we were thinking about having someone else live here, then we would talk about that.”

Noah nodded, thinking, and Dave continued, “I won’t even let Josh come over to play with you without making you talk about it six times.”

That got a little giggle, and Daddy smiled down at him. “There’s that smile. Are you okay now?”

“Uh huh.”

“Alright.”

They continued rocking, until Noah said, “Daddy? Is time for me to sleep again?” He yawned as he asked.

“Yeah,” Daddy told him. “I just needed to have some cuddles with my baby first.”

“Daddy?”

“Hmmm?” Dave asked, still rocking. He was starting to fall asleep now. He didn’t particularly want to set the baby down, and he didn’t want to have to talk to Blaine. And he especially didn’t want to see Kurt right now because he thought that it was entirely possible that he would yell.

“I,” Noah bit his lip, then rushed, “Isleepinnabigbedtonight?”

“What?”

“I gots to sleep in the crib tonight?”

That actually sounded perfect to Daddy, and he nodded, standing up. “Yeah. I think that Daddy needs more cuddles. Do you think you can give me more cuddles?”

Noah nodded, wrapping his arms around Daddy’s neck and kissing him on the cheek. “Oscar and I is good cuddlers, Daddy.”

“I know you are,” Daddy told him, grabbing the monster and the blanket before he turned off the light and left the nursery. Carrying Noah back to his bedroom, Daddy tucked the boy in and got ready for bed. 

By the time Dave got into bed, Noah was blinking sleepily. He scooted himself over until he was pressed against Daddy. 

As he fell asleep, he kept thinking of what Kurt had said, and what Daddy had promised. Things would be okay. Daddy had promised. Daddy promised. Noah forced himself to just keep thinking that. Josh was nice, and Daddy promised, and Noah would try very hard to be good so they could keep loving him.

Kurt had managed to make it all the way back to their bedroom and into the bed before Daddy got there. When Blaine turned the lights on, Kurt sat up, blinking.

“What? Daddy?” he said, trying to sound as though he’d been woken up.

Blaine hid a smile at that. For someone who loved performing, Kurt was laughably bad at it. He always knew when Kurt was trying to play him. “Kurt? Does Daddy look like he was born yesterday?” He asked as he shut the door.

“No sir,” Kurt sighed, cutting the act. Continuing to try to snow Daddy when he knew was not a good plan. 

“Thank you,” Blaine told him, going and sitting next to the baby on the bed, “What happened, please?”

Kurt smiled at Daddy, looking as innocent as possible, “I waked up the baby? To ask him ‘bout Josh? Because we came to help them?”

Daddy gave him a look, “And you thought waking the baby up would help? Because it seems like the exact opposite of help, Kurt. Especially because he was tired and needed to sleep. And you woke him up earlier.”

“That was an accident,” Kurt insisted.

“Kurt Elizabeth, don’t lie to me. I know that wasn’t an accident, and Uncle Dave and I let it go because it wasn’t a big deal. But whatever you just said in there to Noah is a huge deal, and you need to tell me. Now.”

Eyes focused on the bed, Kurt mumbled, “I might have told him that we needed to get rid of Josh.”

“What else?” Blaine knew that wasn’t the whole story. There was no way that Noah had been upset enough by that to start crying.

“An’ that if we didn’t, he wouldn’t get to cuddle with Uncle Dave in bed because Josh and Uncle Dave would cuddle without him, and they’d kiss, and nobody would invite Noah.”

“Kurt!” Blaine gasped, horrified. He’d known that Kurt had upset the baby, but this seemed intentionally hurtful in a way that Blaine did not like. He knew that Kurt was more perceptive than most people, and Blaine had seen him use that to hurt people. But he’d never seen Kurt do that to family before.

“And he said go away, but I didn’t. So then he called for you,” Kurt ended, shame faced. Now that he was saying it to Daddy, it sounded way worse. “I was trying to help,” he added, very quiet.

“You were? Because it sounds like you were being very, very mean, Kurt Elizabeth Hummel. And I don’t like that. At all. It sounds like you took the things that you know scare baby Noah the most, and you used them to get what you wanted. That is not okay. Do you understand me? There will never be a time when that is okay, and I’m very unhappy that you decided to do that. Just because you’re smart enough to get what’s going on with people is no excuse for using that information to hurt someone.”

“I wasn’t! I was trying to help! We came here to help,” Kurt defended himself.

Blaine’s voice was very quiet as he finished up the lecture, “We did come here to help. And what you just did wasn’t helpful. And I think that you know that, at least a little bit, because otherwise, you wouldn’t have waited until nobody was around. Go get the brush,” he ordered.

“Daddy! Not the brush!” Kurt objected. The brush was the worst, and Kurt hated it. “I don’t think you need that.”

“I think I do,” Blaine said, standing up and pulling Kurt out of bed. He directed him toward the bed with a harsh swat, “I think this is exactly the kind of thing that calls for the brush. I don’t think I have ever been so...” he thought, trying to come up with the right word, “ashamed,” he settled. “I don’t think I’ve ever been ashamed of your behavior like this before, and I have no intention of revisiting this topic.”

Kurt’s chin trembled at that. Daddy had never said that he was ashamed before, not ever, and it was too much. Tears began spilling down his cheeks, “Nooooo, Daddddyyyyy.”

“Go,” Blaine ordered.

He went, getting the brush from the suitcase and bringing it back, even as he continued crying, “Not ‘shamed of me,” he whimpered, looking at Blaine. “I was trying to help. I was.”

“Kurt,” Daddy said, heart sinking. He pulled the boy into his lap, “I’m not ashamed of you. I’m ashamed of your behavior. What you did tonight was mean, Kurt, and that’s not something I’m going to see again.”

“I was trying to help,” Kurt whispered.

“Why would you do that though, Kurt? Really, what possessed you to think that playing on Noah’s insecurities was the right thing to do?”

“I thought he would help me get rid of Josh,” Kurt mumbled.

Blaine nodded at that, “Why are you trying to get rid of Josh? Uncle Dave likes him, and we think the baby might like him. Our plan for this weekend was to meet Josh and make sure that baby Noah isn’t just faking it for Uncle Dave.”

“Because Uncle Dave is supposed to be kissin’ the baby. Not Josh. And as long as Josh is around, Uncle Dave won’t,” Kurt explained.

“That’s not your business, nosey.”

“You think they should be kissin’ too.”

“I do, but it’s not our job to decide that. Just because we think we’re right doesn’t give us the right to manipulate other people into doing what we want. Do you understand?”

Kurt understood. He didn’t necessarily agree, but he understood. Slowly, he nodded, and Daddy made him stand up.

Tugging down Kurt’s pajama bottoms, Daddy finished the lecture, summarizing everything the way he always did.

“You’re about to get spanked because you woke the baby up and upset him because you wanted him to do what you wanted him to do. I don’t like that, and I better not see it again.”

Pulling Kurt over his knee, Daddy let loose with a flurry of sharp, stinging swats with his hand. When Kurt’s backside was pink, he picked up the brush.

“Not ever again,” he repeated, bringing the brush down. He didn’t bother to lecture beyond that. Kurt knew exactly what had landed him in this position, and Daddy didn’t like to distract him during a spanking. 

Without a lecture, all Kurt could think about was how much the brush hurt. It stung on impact, but its weight gave it a seriously unpleasant thudding sensation that went straight to the muscle. He knew he was going to be sore for a day or two.

Sobbing disconsolately, Kurt waited for Daddy to finish. Apologizing and begging forgiveness didn’t work with Daddy. He’d be done when he was done.

Blaine spanked hard and long, to the point where Kurt hung limply. Then, putting the brush down, he began to rub Kurt’s back in firm circles.

It took his baby a long time to stop crying, and Blaine sat silently throughout. Kurt didn’t want anyone looking at him while he cried after a spanking, the ugly, gasping sobs that signalled a complete loss of control. As hard as that was, Daddy had learned to respect it.

When the tears finally stopped, Kurt struggled upright and hugged Daddy tightly. Blaine fixed his pajama bottoms before hugging Kurt back, then he pulled the boy onto the bed and they lay facing each other, holding hands.

“‘m sorry,” Kurt whispered. “I thought I was helping, but I know that Noah’s upset, and I didn’t mean for him to be sad.”

Blaine nodded, leaning in to kiss Kurt’s forehead. “I know you thought you were helping. But no more secretly helping the baby.”

“‘k,” Kurt said, squirming a bit closer. He felt sleepy now, even if it did feel like his backside was on fire. Daddy was here, cuddling with him, and he was ready to fall asleep. He could figure out what to do about Josh tomorrow.

Noah woke up the next morning, comfortable and cozy in Daddy’s arms. He squirmed a little, getting closer, then reached his free hand up to tap on Daddy’s cheek.

“Daddy? Daaaaddddddyyyyy,” he sang. “Wake up!”

“Someone’s happy this morning,” Dave mumbled, grabbing Noah’s fingers and bringing the open palm to his mouth. After kissing his hand, Dave said, “Good morning, sunshine. Did you have a good rest?”

Noah nodded, thumb in his mouth, “I sleep good in the big bed. Always.”

It was true. After the first few cranky weeks, Noah was happiest after he’d spent the night cuddling with Daddy. 

Dave smiled at the boy, giving him a squeeze, “Are you hungry?”

“Uh huh. Is Kurt up yet?”

“I don’t know,” Dave told him. After sleeping, he was feeling less enraged at the boy, and he was confident that Blaine had handled it. Prior to this, Dave would have said that Blaine was too strict, but that seemed like a good thing now. “Do you need a change?”

Noah nodded, blushing a little. That part was still hard, and he didn’t like to tell Daddy. Dave had learned to periodically ask, or to check Noah’s pants, and that kept everyone happy.

“Let’s get you some dry pants then,” Dave said, standing up and pulling on a tee-shirt. Grabbing Noah under his arms, he swung the boy up onto his hip.

“Oscar,” Noah insisted, making grabby hands toward the bed. At Daddy’s look, he added, “Please Oscar.”

“Okay, baby,” Daddy told him, grabbing the monster and the blanket. “We’ll get you dry. What would you like to wear today?”

“Ov’ralls. Wif monsters.”

Dave carried the baby to the nursery, quickly changing Noah’s sodden diaper, then began looking through his drawers.

“Bad news,” Dave said, “the monster overalls are dirty, bug. Do you want your plain ones?”

Noah shook his head, joining Daddy at the dresser and rummaging through the drawers until he found the overalls with the dinosaurs. “These ones.”

“Okay, baby. What shirt?” It took a little longer to do things this way, but Dave figured that it was more important that Noah work on making little choices.

After a moment’s indecision, Noah pulled out a tee-shirt, then he cooperated with Daddy, lifting his arms and feet until he was all dressed. After adding some socks, Daddy picked Noah up again, grabbing Oscar without being asked, and carried the baby downstairs.

Blaine and Kurt slept in, not making it downstairs until Noah was on his second muffin, sitting in the high chair, talking happily to Daddy. He fell silent when they entered the room, then began pushing at the tray.

“Want out, Daddy. Want out now, please,” he insisted.

Dave obligingly unhooked the tray and picked Noah up. Rather than allowing himself to be placed on the floor, Noah clung tightly to Daddy, until Dave sat down in his own chair and simply let him stay on his lap.

“You all done, bug?” Daddy murmured, grabbing Noah’s breakfast. “I wanna see you eat some more fruit and yogurt.”

Noah grumbled, picking up a chunk of muffin and whining when Daddy plucked it from his fingers. 

“Yogurt, Noah Aaron. You can’t eat just muffins,” he ordered. Looking at Blaine and Kurt, Dave said, “We baked muffins yesterday, and you know where everything else is.”

Blaine went to get breakfast, but Kurt stood in the doorway, twisting his hands together. After a moment of awkward silence, he moved toward the table and sat down across from Uncle Dave.

“‘m sorry I woke you up and said stuff last night. I didn’t mean to make you upset,” he mumbled, staring at his hands.

Dave looked at him, waiting for Noah to say something. When the baby didn’t respond, Daddy patted his leg.

“Noah, did you hear what Kurt just said?”

The baby made eye contact with Kurt then, and his expression was not promising, “You better be nice to my Josh, or ‘m gonna punch you. An’ stop wakin’ me up when ‘m sleepin’. I know you did it on purpose yesterday. You unnerstand?”

“Noah,” Daddy warned.

The baby shook his head, glaring menacingly, “I will hit him, Daddy. And I’ll get spanked, but it’ll be worth it.”

Dave knew that he should probably swat Noah right then, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. If Kurt meddled, then he probably deserved it. He couldn’t let it go entirely though.

“Noah, that’s not nice,” he said. “If you hit Kurt, then I’ll spank you with the brush. Do you understand me?”

Noah nodded, but he continued glaring at Kurt. It would be worth it. Totally worth it.

Breakfast was quiet, and a little bit awkward. Noah remained on Daddy’s lap, allowing Dave to spoon feed him the yogurt and berries that he’d been served.

When the doorbell rang, Noah practically flew from Daddy’s lap, running to the front door. Once he was there, he realized that he’d left Daddy behind.

“Daaadddddyyyyy,” he called, shifting restlessly. “Josh is heeeerreeee.”

“Okay, whiny,” Dave said, making his way to the front door. Once he could see Noah, he nodded, “You can open it, bug. Thank you for waiting for Daddy.”

Noah wasn’t listening to the praise, flinging the door open and smiling widely at Josh, “Hi!” he said.

Josh stepped through the door, smiling in relief when he saw Dave, “You waited for Daddy this time! What a smart baby.”

Noah preened at the praise, grabbing Josh’s hands and forcing him inside, “‘m a good boy.”

“You’re a very good boy,” Josh agreed, smiling at Dave. “How’re you?”

“We’re fine,” Dave told him. “Why don’t you come and meet Kurt and Blaine?”

Josh knew this was a big deal, and he was feeling a little anxious. Then, Noah squeezed his hand and smiled at him, “Is okay Josh. I telled Kurt to be nice. Or else.”

“Or else what?” Josh asked, wanting to pick the baby up and hug him.

“Or else ‘m gonna hit him. Daddy says he’s gonna spank me wif the brush, but Kurt is ascared of me, I fink.”

“No hitting anyone for me, cookie. Okay? It’s okay if Kurt doesn’t like me right away. I seem to remember that someone else wasn’t so excited the first time he met me.”

“But I yike you now,” Noah explained. “Kurt is bad. He wakded me up. Two times! An’ he got spanked.”

“Okay Noah, enough. It isn’t nice to tattle,” Daddy reprimanded gently, leading them into the dining room. Kurt and Uncle Blaine were sitting at the table, quietly talking as they ate breakfast. Dave introduced everyone, then sat back down.

“Come here, bug. You need to eat two more bites. Josh, have you eaten? There’s coffee, if you’d like some.”

“I can get it myself,” Josh assured Dave, realizing that Noah was still holding onto his hand. “Go on, cookie monster. Sit with Daddy and finish your breakfast. I’m going to get myself a cup of coffee.”

Reluctantly, Noah let go of Josh’s hand, walking over to Daddy and climbing into his lap. He ate two more bites then got back down and began pestering Josh.

“Come play wif me,” he insisted.

Josh was sitting next to Dave, talking to Blaine, and he looked at Noah, “Sweetheart, I’m talking to Uncle Blaine right now. I’ll play with you in a little bit,” he promised.

Noah didn’t like that, but he wasn’t supposed to interrupt. With a sigh, he crawled back onto Daddy’s lap, waiting impatiently. Grown up conversations were boring.

“Baby?” Daddy murmured, rubbing his back, “Do you want to go and build? I can see you from here, if you want to play in the living room, and Josh will come out once he’s done with his coffee.”

That got a shaken head, and Dave didn’t push it. Noah sat somewhat patiently, although he fidgeted, until Josh finished talking. When the man looked at him and smiled, Noah jumped up.

“Now we play?” he asked, jerking his thumb from his mouth.

Josh felt like he was being interviewed for a nanny job, but he did love playing with Noah. And the little boy looked so excited.

“Is Kurt going to play too?” he asked, smiling at the slender man who had said very little to him thus far.

Noah didn’t want Kurt to play, but he had a pretty good idea of Daddy’s response to that. So, he nodded, then led Josh into the living room. Dave and Blaine followed with their coffee, settling on the couch while Josh sat on the floor with the boys. After Noah got his blocks, he plopped himself down in Josh’s lap, leaning against the man. He liked Josh. 

Kurt didn’t like Josh. The man was too happy, playing with Noah, and he was here to steal Uncle Dave, and Kurt didn’t understand why nobody was listening to him. So, Kurt waited until Uncle Dave and Daddy went to get more coffee, then he struck.

“You like Uncle Dave?” he asked, smiling sweetly.

Josh back at him, glad that he was finally making progress. “Uh huh. I like Uncle Dave and Noah; they’re a lot of fun,” he said, hugging Noah, who tried to hide his own smile. Josh was nice. Josh liked him.

Kurt nodded, focusing on what he was doing, “You know, Noah likes Uncle Dave too?”

Noah looked at Kurt then, eyes flashing, and Kurt dialed it back. It was hard, with Daddy and Uncle Dave there, but whenever they both happened to be out of the room, Kurt would sneak in another little sentence about how much Noah liked Uncle Dave.

Poor Josh had no idea that he was in such dangerous territory. Kurt seemed so happy, and Josh was having fun. Noah seemed a little tense, but Josh figured that Noah could be hard to predict.

Finally, when Daddy and Uncle Dave were in the kitchen making lunch, Kurt struck. Making eye contact, he said, “You know that Noah wants to kiss Uncle Dave, right? And have special cuddles?”

Josh was shocked, not sure of what to say to that. Dave had never mentioned, and Josh hadn’t known. He thought Noah was straight. Before he could come up with a response though, Noah burst into tears. Squirming off of Josh’s lap, Noah was up the stairs and out of sight before Josh could do much of anything.

Unthinking, Josh went after him. He knew he couldn’t stay in the same room as Kurt right now. Little or not, Josh kind of wanted to shake him, and he couldn’t do that. Instead, he chased after the poor little boy whom he was kind of falling in love with.

The nursery door was closed, and Josh tapped on it lightly before opening it, “Noah? Baby? Can I come in?” 

Noah had slid under his crib, back to the door, and he sobbed, “No. Go ‘way.”

“Sweetheart, this is not a big deal,” Josh told him, coming into the nursery anyway. He couldn’t just leave Noah there. Stretching out on the floor, Josh reached out a hand and gently brushed his fingertips over Noah’s back.

“Go ‘way.”

“I can’t, cookie. You’re crying, and I can’t just leave you here. Do you want me to call Daddy? If you’d rather talk to him, that’s okay, but I can’t just leave you crying under your crib all by yourself.”

“I kissed Daddy,” Noah whimpered. “He said, ‘no Noah’ because ‘m too little, but I kissed him. Isn’t bad though; ‘m not in trouble. Was a mistake. ‘m just too little, but is okay because Daddy loves me anyway. He promised,” Noah finished, emphasizing the word promised.

Josh knew exactly how important Dave’s promises were to Noah, and his heart ached for the little boy. “Well,” he said carefully, if Daddy promised, then we’re safe because Daddy never promises anything unless he’s sure. He’s a good daddy, and he loves you a lot.”

Noah twisted a little, looking at Josh, “Is you gonna sleep in the big bed wif Daddy and have cuddles wifout me?”

“Um,” Josh stuttered, not sure of what to say. “Come out here, okay monster? We can talk about this, but will you sit up and talk?”

Noah slowly squirmed out from under the crib, sitting up and looking at Josh, waiting. The other man smiled at him, “Such a good little boy,” he praised.

That got a blush from Noah, and a little bit of fidgeting. “Is you and Daddy-” he started again. 

“I don’t know,” Josh told him. “I-maybe? Daddy and I haven’t talked about whether we’re going to do that. But if we did, you would know about it, and we would all talk about it.”

“I don’t want cuddles wifout me,” Noah said, staring down at his hands now. “Cuddles wifout me is not fair.”

Josh wanted to pull Noah into his lap, but he didn’t want to be too familiar. “Sweetheart, Daddy and I...we like each other, but you’re the most important to Daddy. So if you don’t want Daddy to see me, then that’s what’ll happen. And it’s okay. Do you understand me? If you don’t want me to be friends with Daddy, I won’t be mad.”

“I...” Noah trailed off. Flexing his hands in frustration, he didn’t know what to say. Finally, he stood up.

“Baby? Where’re you going? Do you need to get Daddy?” Josh asked.

Noah shook his head, continuing determinedly to the rocking chair and staring at it. He didn’t want to have to ask.

“Sweetheart, I need you to use your words,” Josh told him gently. He could feel Noah cuddled in his lap right now, that’s how much he just wanted to scoop the little boy up and love on him, but he also knew that Noah was feeling vulnerable. “Do you want me to go get Daddy?”

Noah shook his head wildly at that, “No! No leavin’ me ‘lone!”

“Okay, cookie. I was just asking. Do you want me to text Daddy so he knows to come upstairs?”

The boy stubbornly patted the chair, waiting for Josh. Why was he making this so difficult? Rocking made Noah feel better, and Josh was easier to talk to sometimes.

“I don’t know what you’re asking me to do right now, Noah,” Josh explained patiently.

Sighing, Noah walked over to Josh and grabbed his hand. Pulling, he pointed back at the chair.

Josh had thought that was what Noah wanted, but he wished the little boy would just talk, “Cookie? Do you want to rock?”

Noah nodded, a completely exasperated expression on his face, and Josh was so very tempted to pretend that he didn’t realize Noah wanted them to rock together. If Noah wasn’t already having a rough day, he would have. The baby needed to learn to say what he wanted, and as long as everyone tried to anticipate his needs, he’d never learn to do that.

Standing, he walked over to the chair and sat down, holding out an arm for Noah. It was clear that Noah had wanted him to cuddle with the baby burrowed against him, sticking his thumb in his mouth and letting out a little sigh.

“Comfortable?” Josh asked.

Noah nodded, “Rock,” he demanded, thumb in his mouth.

“I think it’s supposed to be rock please,” Josh reminded him, even as he started.

Noah nodded, “Please,” he said around his thumb. After a minute, he said, “‘m good. I wasn’t ‘fore, but ‘m good now. Daddy said. I sometimes forget manners, but...”

“I don’t think you were bad before,” Josh told him, rocking and gently rubbing Noah’s back. “I’m guessing that you were a very good boy before, and you just sometimes made bad choices. And everyone forgets stuff sometimes.”

“‘m good.”

“You’re very good,” Josh reassured him. “And even if you weren’t, Daddy would still love you so much. Daddies don’t love their little boys because they’re good. They love them because they love them.”

“Is you a daddy?” Noah asked. He’d shifted so that Josh was cradling him like a baby, and he was using his free hand to trace patterns on Josh’s shirt.

Josh looked a little sad then, but before Noah could apologize, he said, “Kind of. I want to be a daddy, but I don’t have a little boy. But some day.”

“You-” Noah stopped, blushing brightly. He forced himself to keep going, “You love little boys even if they is bad?”

Josh look at him seriously then, “No, because little boys can’t be bad. They might make a bad choice, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad. It was just a bad choice.”

“Kurt is bad,” Noah grumbled.

Josh thought that Kurt could use a spanking, but he shook his head, “He’s not bad. I don’t like what he just did because it wasn’t very nice, but I don’t think he’s bad.”

Just then, Daddy burst through the door, clearly upset, “Is Noah okay?” he demanded, walking over. “I didn’t-Kurt-are you okay, bug?”

Noah considered that for a moment, then nodded. “Kurt isn’t bad. He makeded a bad choice to be mean though. But I didn’t hit ‘im, Daddy.”

Dave knelt in front of the rocking chair, smiling at Noah, “I know you didn’t, bug, and I am so proud of you. That was a very good choice from my little boy.”

“Uncle Blaine gonna hit him?”

Daddy shook his head at that, “Uncle Blaine doesn’t hit. Hitting isn’t nice. Kurt’s probably going to get a spanking though.”

“Wif a brush?”

“I don’t know, baby. Are you and Josh having cuddles?” Daddy brushed Noah’s hair away from his forehead as he asked. 

Noah nodded seriously, “You and Josh can have cuddles inna big bed, Daddy, but I still gets to sleep in there sometimes too. ‘k? An’ stop askin’ if I yike Josh. He is nice.”

“Okay, baby,” Daddy murmured. Noah was starting to get sleepy eyes, and Daddy thought it would be a good idea to get him in bed. “I think it’s nap time, cuddle bug. Do you need Oscar and your monster blanky?”

“An’ a bottle,” Noah said. “Josh get it? Please? ‘m firsty. Need water.”

“I would love to,” Josh told him, standing up and handing the baby over. 

“You come back upstairs though,” Noah ordered, blinking sleepily. “For tuckin’ me in. You not leavin’ while I have my nap?”

“I’ll come back up with your bottle and your monster in a minute, cookie,” Josh promised.

“An’ blanket,” Noah told him. Once he could hear Josh on the stairs, Noah said, “Wet, Daddy.”

“Let’s get you changed then,” Dave told him, carrying the baby to the changing table.

“Fast.”

“We’ll do it before Josh comes back up,” Daddy assured him. It was easy enough to change a wet diaper. As he did it, Dave asked, “What happened downstairs?”

Noah scowled at that, “Kurt is-Kurt makeded bad choices. He is not bein’ nice today, Daddy. An’ he tried to-he is bein’ not nice. You tell Uncle Blaine?”

“Can you tell me how he’s being not nice?” Dave asked, lifting the now dry boy up. “Are we rocking while you have your bottle?”

“‘m sleepy.”

“Okay, bug. Let’s get you in your crib then. Can you tell me what Kurt did?”

“He telled Josh I wanna kiss you and ‘bout special cuddles,” Noah grumped, looking down at the ground.

Dave clenched his jaw at that, not happy with the little boy currently standing in time out in his living room. He’d known that something was said to upset Noah, but that was pretty bad. Even for Kurt.

“Did you tell Josh to come upstairs with you?” Daddy asked, tucking Noah in.

“He comed up by his own self. I hided unner my crib, but he said, ‘come out.’ I did. ‘m a good list’ner, Daddy.”

“You are such a good listener,” Dave praised. “Was it okay that Josh was up here?”

Noah gave Daddy an aggravated little look, “Daddy, I telled you. Josh is nice. I yike him. I just-no changin’ me yet? An’ maybe no baffs.”

“Okay, bug. You’re sure?”

“No naked,” Noah told him, eyes fluttering shut.

Josh arrived then, holding a baby bottle with ice water. “Blaine said he liked it better with ice?” he said to Dave, walking over to the crib. Laying Noah’s monster blanket over him and tucking Oscar in beside him, Josh smiled down at the boy. “Is this okay?”

Noah nodded sleepily, reaching out a hand for the bottle. After a couple of sips, he put it to the side of his crib, “Fank you,” he mumbled. 

“Sweet dreams, cuddle bug. Daddy and Josh will just be downstairs,” Dave promised, dropping a kiss on Noah’s forehead.

Noah had his thumb in his mouth, and he was clearly quickly on his way to sleep. Reaching out, he grabbed Josh’s hand and pulled him closer. “You too,” he insisted.

Josh looked at Dave, not sure of what the baby was asking for. “Sweet dreams?” he tried.

“Daddy said dat,” Noah complained, tapping his forehead with Josh’s hand. “You too.”

He wasn’t sure if this was what Noah wanted, but Josh leaned over and kissed Noah like he’d seen Dave do. “I’ll see you when you wake up from nap time, okay cookie monster?”

Noah nodded, and then quickly fell asleep.

“What happened?” Daddy asked, softly shutting the nursery door behind them.

Josh shrugged, looking guilty, “Kurt upset him, and I just followed. I couldn’t leave him up there by himself, and-I’m sorry. I should have called you, but I was just too focused on talking to him and getting him out from under the crib. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Dave said quietly. “You did a good job with him. He doesn’t trust easily.”

“I know. I don’t take that lightly, Dave. I don’t.”

They walked down the stairs and into the living room, where Kurt was still standing in the corner. Blaine was sitting on the couch, and the expression on his face was not promising.

“Did he tell you what Kurt said to him?” Blaine asked. “Or, do you know? I mean, you were in here when Kurt said...whatever.”

Kurt was quietly crying, and Josh wasn’t feeling so pissed with him anymore. Sitting in the chair across from Blaine, he said, “Kurt said that Noah wanted to kiss Dave, but I think that part of it was some of what was said last night.”

Blaine shut his eyes, counting slowly in his head. When he opened them, he made eye contact with Dave, “I’m sorry.” Looking at Josh, he repeated himself, adding, “I-Kurt will be apologizing to you the next time we see you, but we’ll be going upstairs now to deal with this.”

Josh nodded, and Blaine stood up and walked to the corner. Gripping Kurt tightly by the upper arm, he led the boy up the stairs and to the guest room. 

“Sit,” he ordered, pointing at the bed.

Kurt listened, staring at his hands and waiting to be told to get the brush. He squirmed; his butt still hurt.

Blaine crossed his arms over his chest, staring down at his baby. He wasn’t sure what to do. Clearly, the spanking had made no difference.

Finally, he went to the suitcase and grabbed pajamas. Carrying them to the bed, he efficiently stripped Kurt down and then redressed him.

“Daddy?” Kurt finally said, not sure of what was going on.

Blaine stopped, looking at him, waiting. “What?” he finally said.

“Why-wha-’m I in trouble?” Kurt quietly muttered.

“I don’t know, Kurt. What did I tell you last night?” Blaine asked, straightening up and giving Kurt a Look.

“No manip’lating.”

“Uh huh. I told you to stop manipulating people, and to use your nice words. You-I don’t like what you just did. And since you just showed me that you don’t know how to be around people without using mean, hurtful words to get what you want, then you can’t be around people.”

Kurt looked up at Daddy, confused, and Blaine pulled down the covers. “In. You’re in bed for the rest of the day. We can try tomorrow, but I don’t know what else to do with you right now. Clearly, spanking you yesterday meant nothing.”

Chin trembling, Kurt said, “It did! It hurt, Daddy! I just-I want to help!”

“You aren’t helping,” Blaine told him, tucking him in. “In. Now. I love you, but I don’t want to see you out of this bed for the rest of the day. If you need to go to the bathroom, straight there and back, and I’ll bring you up lunch and dinner.”

Kurt burst into tears then, hugging his knees to his chest, “I was trying to help, and now you’re mad.”

“Yes, Kurt. I am mad. Because I explicitly told you yesterday to leave it alone, and you disobeyed me. Noah is very upset, and this was completely unnecessary.”

Kurt cried harder, and Blaine sighed, sitting down on the bed and rubbing Kurt’s back, “I love you. Daddy always loves you. But you don’t disobey me, and you don’t manipulate people, and if you can’t be nice to other people, then you’re just going to have to spend some time alone until you remember to how we treat other people.” 

Kissing Kurt, Blaine stood up. He handed James James to Kurt. “Stay in bed,” he ordered, running his fingers through Kurt’s hair. “Please don’t do anything else naughty, baby.”

Kurt nodded, chin trembling and hugging James James to his chest. “Tell Uncle Dave ‘m sorry? An’ the baby?”

“I will,” Blaine told him, giving him another kiss. “And you’re going to apologize yourself, tomorrow.”

“Yes sir,” Kurt promised, hugging Daddy tightly. He’d been feeling ashamed from the moment Noah had burst into tears, and he wished Daddy would spank him again. “Daddy? My tummy hurts.”

“It hurts because you feel guilty,” Blaine told him, sitting down again. “And you feel guilty because you did something naughty. So I hope that it hurts for a while to remind you to listen to Daddy and be nicer to people.”

“Yes sir,” Kurt whispered, shifting so he was laying down. 

“I’ll bring you some lunch in a little bit,” Blaine promised, kissing him one last time and then leaving. He reopened the door to throw in one more admonishment, “Kurt? If you get up to bother the baby, I don’t even know what I’m going to do. But it will be very unpleasant.”

“‘Yes sir. I’ll stay here.”

“Thank you,” Blaine said, shutting the door again and going downstairs. Josh and Dave were sitting on the couch together now, and Blaine stopped and looked at them for a moment before sitting down in a chair. “He’s sorry. He can’t apologize himself because he’s in bed right now, but he’s sorry. And he will be apologizing to both of you, and the baby, tomorrow.”

Josh smiled sympathetically at Blaine, “It’s okay. Is he doing okay?”

“He’s unhappy that he’s in bed for the rest of the day, but I don’t know what else to do with him. I don’t-I used the brush last night, but I don’t know what to do with him.”

“Is that-” Josh stopped, looking down, “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”

“It’s okay,” Blaine told him, “Is that what?”

“Is the brush the worst thing you use on him?” Josh asked, making eye contact. 

“Yeah,” Blaine said. “Spoon, hand, brush...”

“He’s really okay? He doesn’t...Dave said that Noah doesn’t do so well with even time out. He’d melt down if he had to spend the day by himself.”

Blaine smiled, “He hates it. He’s crying, but we talked about him making bad choices, and that I still love him. By the time we get up tomorrow, he’ll wish that I had spanked him, but hopefully, this time, the lesson sticks.”

Josh nodded, and Dave stood up. “I’m starved. Lunch?”

The daddies and Josh spent some time eating lunch. Blaine took some food up to Kurt, dropping off the tray and leaving without having a conversation. By the time Noah woke up, Blaine was sure.

Josh was a nice guy. He actually liked Noah and Dave, and he didn’t seem to hold a grudge if his response to Kurt’s behavior was anything to go by. As much as Blaine didn’t want to, he approved.

Noah woke up from his nap in a better mood than the day before. He was clingy though, and shy, not making eye contact with Uncle Blaine. He stuck close to either Josh or Daddy for the rest of the day, and he whined when it was time for Josh to go home.

“Staaaaayyyyyyy,” he insisted, clinging to Josh’s hand.

Josh pulled him in for a hug, rubbing his back, “Cookie monster, I loved seeing you today, but it’s time for me to go home so you can have fun with Daddy and Uncle Blaine.”

“Nooooooo. I want yooouuuu.”

“Noah,” Daddy said quietly, coming up behind the boy, “it’s time for Josh to go home. He’ll come back to see you again.”

“I want him to stay though.”

Daddy smiled, “You had a lot of fun with Josh today, but it’s time for you to get ready for bed. You need to take your bath-”

“Josh stay and read me stories,” Noah insisted.

That hadn’t gone well, and Josh started to shake his head no. Dave intervened, “If Josh has time to stay then we can try that again, but he’ll come back to see you another day if-”

“Stay! Daddy give me my baff, then we read stories? Please Josh?”

“Bug, don’t interrupt. It’s rude,” Daddy admonished, patting Noah on the bottom. 

“I can stay,” Josh told Noah. “I’ll wait down here and talk to Uncle Blaine while you have your bath, okay?”

Noah nodded, starting toward the steps. Before Dave could follow, Josh caught his arm, “Are you sure this is okay?” he asked

Dave shrugged. He didn’t know. Josh prodded, “No, I mean is it okay with you? If you want me to leave, I can.”

“He wants you to stay,” Dave said, smiling. “I wanted him to like you, and he obviously does. We’ll be back down in half an hour.”

Josh sat back on the couch with Blaine, waiting, while Daddy helped Noah in the bath. Noah was squirmier than usual, and full of questions.

“Daddy? Why come ceilings is white?” he said, staring up as Dave rinsed the shampoo out of his hair.

Dave considered that, saying, “Because that’s the color I painted it. What color do you think it should be?”

“Blue. Or maybe gween? Why come Kurt been in bed all day?”

“Blue or green. We could repaint, if you want, bug. Maybe you need a jungle bathroom?”

Noah shrugged, “Why Kurt though, Daddy?”

“He got in trouble, and so he had a time out,” Dave said. “Lean forward so I can scrub your back.”

“Not too scrubby. Why come he got in trouble? Why he gotta do time out in bed? Time out is in corners, Daddy.”

“Because he was mean to you and Josh and because that’s what Uncle Blaine said,” Dave responded.

“If we make it a jungle baffroom, can I have monkeys?”

“Yeah,” Daddy told him. He felt like Noah was getting more wound up, which wasn’t good. “Bug, what story are we reading tonight?”

“Josh is reading. Josh isn’t a daddy, but he wants a little boy. He don’t got one.” Noah wiggled his toes, giggling as Daddy tickled his feet, “I still get cuddles inna big bed if Josh sleep wif you?”

“Nobody’s talking about Josh sleeping in the big bed with me, bug,” Daddy patiently explained.

“I is.”

“What story?”

“I not gettin’ no more cuddles?”

“You would get twice as many cuddles because Josh would want to squeeze you too,” Dave finally answered. “Can you answer my question now?”

“Wild fings. An’ Pete the Cat? An’ Skippyjon Jones. I have three stories?”

“I think that’s fine, bug,” Daddy said, happy that Noah was more focused on stories and less worried about sleeping arrangements.

“An’ Stinky Cheese Man?”

“You want four stories?” Dave asked, tone incredulous. “Four whole stories? Who do you think is going to read you four stories?” He tickled a little as he teased.

“Josh. He yikes squishin’ me in the rockin’ chair,” Noah boasted. “‘cause ‘m ‘dorable.”

“You are pretty adorable,” Dave agreed. “You could probably convince him to read you four stories. But what do you think I’m going to say about you getting to read four stories?”

“Books is good,” Noah patiently explained. “You said. Books is good for babies. So four stories is gooder ‘an just two. An’ five stories because I need Dragons too.”

Deciding to get the baby out of the bath before Josh got roped into reading 20 books, Daddy helped him out and carried him to the nursery. 

“Monkey jammies,” Noah demanded, standing stark naked in the middle of the nursery.

Dave smiled, pulling out the requested jammies and swooping Noah up so he could put a clean diaper on him. “Monkey jammies please?”

“Pleeeeease,” Noah mimicked, smiling at Daddy. He shrieked with laughter when Dave blew a raspberry on his tummy, promptly wetting his clean diaper. “Daddddyyy,” he wailed indignantly.

Dave changed Noah’s diaper again, getting him into the fleecy pajamas and then starting to carry him back out.

“Books. I need books,” Noah insisted, squirming down and running to his shelf. “I come downstairs inna minute, Daddy.”

Dave nodded, going to join the two men in the living room. He smiled at his boyfriend, “Noah’s got big plans for bedtime stories.”

Before Josh could ask what that meant, Noah came clattering down the stairs, a huge stack of books in his arms.

“Noah,” Daddy laughed. “How many books do you have?”

Noah wrinkled up his nose, looking at the books and finally shrugging, “Dunno. ‘mon Josh. Is time to read me books now. Please.”

Josh smiled, waving the baby over, but Noah shook his head, “Stories is upstairs.”

“Why don’t we try reading them down here,” Josh gently suggested. He thought that might be less overwhelming. “Maybe Daddy and Uncle Blaine want to hear too?”

Noah shook his head patiently, “Bedtime stories is upstairs. Inna nurs’ry.”

“Is that okay?” Josh asked Dave, figuring that giving him a chance to veto was a good idea. Dave simply shrugged, and Josh stood up to follow Noah back up the stairs.

“If bedtime stories are upstairs, why did you bring them all downstairs?” he asked, following Noah to his room.

The baby didn’t respond, carrying the stack of books to the rocking chair. After grabbing Oscar and his blanky from the crib, he returned to the chair and stared pointedly at Josh, until the man sat back down and he could climb in his lap.

Grabbing the first book, he handed it to Josh, “Read,” he demanded. “Please.”

“Such nice manners,” Josh praised, opening the first book.

He wasn’t sure how many stories Dave normally read, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t the number that Noah was angling for tonight. After the first three, he tried to convince Noah that it was time to stop. 

“Please? Just one more?” the boy asked, staring up at him with big eyes.

That plea worked for three more stories before Josh managed to stay strong. Taking the seventh book of the night, he levelled a stern look at Noah. 

“This is the last one, cookie monster. Got it?”

Noah nodded resolutely, “Got it,” he lisped around the thumb in his mouth. 

Of course, he begged for another book, but Josh shook his head. “That’s enough for the night, baby. Do you want to come downstairs with me to get Daddy?”

“No Daddy,” Noah said calmly. “Is time for talking now.”

Josh was familiar with this ritual; Dave had talked about how important it was for Noah. He also knew that Noah only ever did it with Daddy. 

“Let’s go get Daddy so you can talk,” Josh explained.

“I wan’ talk wif you tonight.”

“Noah, I think that talking is something special you and Daddy do,” Josh said quietly, “and I think that it would hurt his feelings if you did that with me right now.”

“I wan’ talk-”

“I understand, and I’m telling you that we’re not going to,” Josh stated patiently. “That’s Noah and Daddy’s special time together.”

“Not ‘llowed to interrupt,” Noah grumped.

“I’m sorry,” Josh apologized. “That was rude. But you need to listen, and I know that Daddy has a rule about that too, Noah Aaron.”

“No Noah Aaroning me!” Josh was supposed to be his friend, not be mean to him.

Daddy knocked on the nursery door then, stepping through, “Is everything okay?” he asked. “How many stories did you con Josh into reading, bug?”

“Seven,” Noah pouted, arms crossed over his chest.

Josh set him on his feet, giving him a gentle push toward Daddy, “Noah wanted me to finish putting him to bed,” he explained, “but I think that you should be the one to do that.”

“NO!” Noah insisted.

“Noah,” Daddy said gently, reaching out a hand to pull Noah closer. “It’s okay. Say good night to Josh.”

“NO!”

“Bug,” Daddy sat on the floor, pulling Noah into his lap. “I hear that you’re unhappy, but I need you to talk to me please so Daddy can help fix it.”

“I’m going to go downstairs,” Josh murmured, starting toward the door.

“Noooooo,” Noah insisted. “Josh STAY.”

“Josh, do you mind staying for a minute?” Daddy asked.

The other man sank to his knees, nodding, “That’s fine, but I think that Noah needs to talk with you.”

“Noah,” Daddy said sternly, “You need to start talking. We don’t understand whining, and I’m not going to make Josh stay up here so you can be a cranky baby with him. What’s the problem?”

Noah burst into tears, and Dave forced himself to shake his head, “No. You need to talk because we don’t know what the problem is.”

Sobbing, Noah babbled something that was nearly incomprehensible, although Daddy managed to catch something about Kurt being bad and Josh not wanting to visit anymore.

“Oh sweetheart,” Josh said, making eye contact with Dave, “of course I’m going to come back and visit.”

“But Kurt was bad,” Noah insisted. “ An’ I tried to be good, but you don’t wan’ talk wif me.”

Josh looked wrecked. He wanted Noah in his lap so he could rock the little boy and reassure him, but Dave was holding the baby. Josh settled for leaning forward and taking Noah’s hands.

“I want you to listen to me, okay?” he asked, waiting until he got a nod. “I’m not going to stop visiting with you unless Daddy asks me to. Okay? Kurt made a bad choice today, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like you and Daddy. It just means that Kurt acted a little bit naughty.”

“No,” Noah insisted. “When you is bad, people go ‘way. An’ they don’t come back. Not never.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Josh said. 

“Yes you is.”

Josh shifted so he was closer, leaning his head in so he could rest his forehead against Noah’s, “Am not. And I’m the grown up, so I know what I’m talking about. Okay baby? You can’t do anything bad enough that I wouldn’t want to see you anymore.”

“You will leave.”

“Baby,” Daddy gently interrupted, “what can Josh and I do to help make you feel better? We don’t want you to be scared.”

“Josh stay,” Noah begged.

Dave looked at Josh then, “Do you-we usually talk now about the day. Do you want to stay?”

Noah shook his head, “No. Josh spenda night.”

“Bug, I don’t know if Josh wants to spend the night,” Daddy said.

“I-I could sleep on the couch,” Josh suggested. 

“The couch is uncomfor’ble. Sleep inna big bed wif Daddy. An’ me too.” Noah twisted, looking at Dave, “An’ me too, Daddy? Please?”

“It’s not like anything would happen,” Dave told Josh. “He-if you’re comfortable with it. I can lend you pajamas, and we’ve got spare toothbrushes.”

“Stay. Josh stay,” Noah demanded. “I want cuddles.”

Josh nodded, smiling at him, “I’ll stay. But even if I didn’t, I’d still come back to see you. I promise.”

Noah shook his head, frustrated with the grown ups who thought they knew everything. When kids were bad, then grown ups left. Or the kids had to leave. And Daddy promised that Noah didn’t have to leave and Daddy wasn’t going anywhere. Daddy promised that wasn’t how they did things in this family. 

Josh wasn’t part of this family, and so he didn’t know about that. But if Noah didn’t let him go anywhere, then he couldn’t leave. And Noah liked Josh. Josh was nice, and he read more bedtime stories then Daddy did. So Noah was going to show Josh how much he liked him, and then Josh would stay. Even if stupid Kurt was bad.

“Big bed cuddles,” Noah said, struggling to his feet and grabbing Oscar and his blanky. “‘mon. Big bed cuddles,” he insisted, pulling at Josh’s hand. “Daddy, you too.”

“He needs a bottle still, and I need to tell Blaine what’s going on,” Dave explained to Josh.

The other man nodded, “I could? If you want? You could get him settled and talk a little bit while I do that stuff?”

“NO!” Noah shrieked. Nobody was listening to him.

“Noah, don’t yell,” Dave reprimanded. He was starting to feel pretty exhausted from the night, and he was thinking that he’d let Noah get away with too much if his current behavior was anything to go by.

“Josh. Stay.” Noah insisted, his voice very firm. “Josh stay.”

“Okay,” Josh acquiesced, holding up his hands. “I’ll stay. I thought you and Daddy could cuddle while I got your bottle, like we did at naptime. That’s all.”

“Daddy get it. Please.”

“Okay, Daddy will get it,” Dave told him, standing up and moving to leave. “Noah knows where everything is, if you want to start tucking him in.”

“‘mon,” Noah insisted. “Is time for talking and my bottle now.”

“Alright, Noah,” Josh said. He was feeling pretty torn about this. On one hand, he wanted to reassure Noah that he was committed, but on the other...Noah was getting very bossy, and Josh just felt like that was a bad precedent to set. “Please don’t pull at me,” he asked, “I’m coming.”

Noah looked up at him, a very familiar expression coming over his face, “But-”

“Noah, stop pulling,” Josh firmly said. “It’s not nice, and I don’t like it. You wouldn’t like it if I was forcing you to go everywhere.”

“Not ‘posed to inter’upt,” Noah sullenly replied.

“And you aren’t supposed to tell grown ups what to do,” Josh told him, pulling down the covers and gesturing for Noah to get in.

Noah grumbled, but he climbed under the covers, hugging Oscar and holding onto his blanket, “Josh lay down too.”

“Can you use your nice words?” Josh asked.

The baby sighed heavily, then said, “Please.”

“Thank you,” Josh told him, laying down on top of the covers. “Close your eyes,” he instructed quietly.

“Is time for talkin’ now, Josh. We gots to talk ‘bout the day,” Noah explained patiently, cuddling against the other man. “First, I waked up wif Daddy, then we had breakfast. I bakeded muffins yesterday; we had muffins.”

“What happened next?” Josh asked, rubbing the boy’s back.

Noah narrated through the point that Josh got there, then he stopped. “Your turn,” he sleepily ordered, thumb going in his mouth.

“My turn?” Josh asked. Dave walked in then, bringing over the bottle and climbing in on the other side of Noah. 

“My Noah,” he murmured, kissing the boy. “What happened today?”

“I-” Noah mumbled, eyes fluttering shut. “Josh getted here. Now he tells more.” Noah allowed Daddy to feed him part of the bottle, listening all the way through bedtime stories before he interjected, “Then I was a little bit bad. But not lots bad. Just a little.”

“Then you got a little bit upset, and we had to talk about what was bothering you,” Josh reframed. “Because you aren’t bad. Not ever.”

“Just a little bit,” Noah insisted.

“No,” Josh corrected. “You got upset. You were scared, and it made you get a little bit cranky, but then we talked about it, and now it’s fine.”

“An’ now we talk, an’ you spenda night,” Noah finished.

“And now we’re talking, and I’m spending the night,” Josh finished. “And we’re done, which means it’s time to close your eyes and rest because little boys need a lot of sleep.”

“Kisses and sweet dreams,” Noah mumbled, sounding like he was half asleep.

Josh leaned in, kissing Noah’s forehead, “Good night, sweet boy.”

Daddy kissed Noah, telling him, “Sweet dreams, baby. Daddy’ll be up in a little bit for bed.”

Noah’s eyes popped back open, hands scrabbling for Josh’s, “Daddy an’ Josh. Daddy an’ Josh an’ Noah inna big bed.”

“Yes,” Dave soothed. “Daddy and Josh and Noah are going to sleep. But it’s late for little boys which means it’s time for you to go to sleep now. Daddy and Josh will be up in a little bit.”

“Promise.”

“Daddy promises,” Dave murmured. 

“k.” Noah said, laying back down and letting his eyes drift shut as he said “Night.”

Dave kissed him one last time, then got up to leave, with Josh following him. When the light was shut off and the door closed, Noah sat up with a shriek. Josh had the door open immediately, turning on the light.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, already at the bed and sitting beside the baby so he could push hair off of his forehead.

Noah glared reproachfully at them, “Night light.”

“Pardon?” Dave asked, waiting.

Noah rolled his eyes, but he repeated, “Night light,” adding, “please.”

“I’ll be back in a minute,” Dave tells them both. True to his word, he returned a moment later with a bright green, rubbery monster. Pushing on the monster’s head, it lit up, and Daddy placed the lamp on the nightstand.

“Good night, my baby,” he said, kissing Noah one last time. “Sweet dreams.”

Noah curled up on his side, watching as the men left the room. He didn’t want to fall asleep now. Being left in the dark had woken him up. Once he heard their feet on the stairs, Noah rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. Throwing Oscar up in the air, he waited.

He was bored. Bed was boring. And Daddy and Josh were downstairs with Uncle Blaine, talking, and he was all by himself. After a while, he stood up. Throwing his blanket over his shoulders like a cape, and tucking Oscar under his arm, he made his way down the stairs.

“Noah?” Josh said. He was sitting close to Noah’s Daddy on the couch, and the men were talking with Uncle Blaine who was sprawled across a nearby chair. “What’re you doing?”

Noah walked all the way down the stairs and into the living room, climbing up onto Daddy’s lap and resting his cheek against Dave’s chest. “I can’t sleep.”

“You’re supposed to be in bed, baby,” Dave told him, rubbing the boy’s back. “It’s night time. And you’re tired.”

“‘m not tired. ‘m ‘wake. I wanna stay up wif grown ups.”

“Sweetheart, you are tired,” Daddy said. “You were practically falling asleep earlier when we were talking. It’s time for you to be sleeping.”

“Don’t wanna,” Noah mumbled, putting his thumb in his mouth. “Don’t yike bein’ all by my own self.”

Dave’s voice took on a distinct note of warning, “Noah Aaron, it’s time for you to be sleeping. Say good night, and I’m going to take you back up to bed.”

“Noooooo.”

“Say good night,” Daddy ordered.

Noah climbed off of Daddy’s lap, walking over to Uncle Blaine and giving him a hug and a kiss. “Night, Uncle Blaine,” he said, before turning to Josh and climbing on the man’s lap. “Night, Josh. You comin’ up soon to cuddle? ‘m lonely.”

“Good night, cookie monster,” Josh told him. “I’ll be upstairs in a bit, but you need to close your eyes and go to sleep.”

“But I don’t yike bein’ by myself,” Noah explained seriously.

“Good night, Noah,” Josh patiently told him, forcing the boy to stand up.

Dave picked him up before Noah could make another attempt at putting off bedtime. Balancing the boy on his hip, Daddy carried him upstairs.

“I want you to stay up here this time,” Dave lectured quietly, tucking Noah into the bed. 

Noah scowled, “But ‘m not tired.”

“Close your eyes,” Dave said, kissing Noah firmly on the forehead. “You’re tired, and if you just lay still and keep your eyes shut, you’ll fall right to sleep.”

Still pouting, Noah shut his eyes. When Daddy got to the door, Noah called, “‘m still not ‘sleep yet, Daddy.”

“Thanks for the update. Good night.”

Making his way downstairs, Dave found Blaine and Josh laughing so hard that they were snorting. “What’s so damn funny?” he asked, dropping onto the couch beside Josh.

“I was just telling your boyfriend here that I had been a little bit jealous about the whole coparenting thing you guys are maybe trying, but now I’m thinking Noah might be more trouble than Kurt is. You probably need the second,” Blaine explained.

“Thanks,” Dave said, rolling his eyes. “And don’t assume my baby is difficult. I’ve seen the crap Kurt pulls with you.”

“He’s an angel,” Blaine said, his expression shocked.

They went back and forth like that for a while, Blaine and Dave trying to shock Josh with the worst stories they had of Kurt’s exploits, until they heard the familiar sound of footy pajamas shuffling down the steps.

“Daddy? I can’t sleep,” Noah said, rubbing at his eyes.

“Noah,” Dave said, wholly exasperated. Standing, he walked over to the little boy turned him around. “You’re supposed to be in bed,” he lectured, as he forced Noah to walk back up the stairs. “You are tired, even if you’re trying to stay awake, and you’re going to go to sleep now for Daddy.”

“I don’t wanna,” Noah pouted, climbing back under the covers.

Dave nodded, tucking him in and saying, “That’s fine. You don’t have to want to go to sleep. But if you move your little self out of this bed again, then I’m putting you in your crib because you’ll have shown me that you can’t make good choices when I trust you to sleep in the big bed.”

“No crib.”

“Then stay in bed. Good night, Noah Aaron,” Daddy said, kissing him again. 

“If ‘m-” Noah stopped, looking at Daddy, and Dave sat back down.

“If you what, my Noah?”

“If ‘m good, I can stay?”

Dave roughly carded his fingers through Noah’s hair, shaking his head, “Sweetheart, if you show me that you can stay in the bed without me or Josh having to keep tucking you back in, then you can sleep in the big bed. But even if you can’t do that, all it means is that you’ll sleep in the crib. That’s all.”

“‘k, Daddy,” Noah said, sticking his thumb in his mouth and looking up with big eyes. “I-I be good now.”

“You’re always my good baby,” Daddy reminded him. “You’re my very good baby. Right?”

Noah nodded, smiling a little. He tried really hard to be good for Daddy. “It was a mistake, not list’ning about bed. I ‘member now.”

“Okay, baby. Good night. Sweet dreams,” Dave told him, leaning over to kiss his forehead.

“Love you, Daddy,” Noah said around his thumb, smiling broadly when Daddy kissed him again.

“I love you too. Now close your eyes, and go to sleep, so we can have fun tomorrow.”

Noah nodded, closing his eyes and rolling onto his side. He didn’t totally fall asleep until Daddy and Josh came upstairs later, but he drifted in and out until then. When he felt warm bodies pressing on both sides of him, Noah’s eyes fluttered open.

“Daddy an’ Josh an’ Noah,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, Daddy and Josh and Noah, having cuddles in the big bed,” Josh told him, smiling. He leaned over to kiss Noah’s forehead. “He’s kind of adorable,” Josh told Dave.

Noah nodded sleepily, “‘m very ‘dorable.”

“Pretty much the cutest,” Daddy agreed. “Go back to sleep, adorable baby. When you wake up, we can make pancakes.”

Noah drifted off to sleep with a sweet smile on his face, and he spent the night dreaming about pancakes and bacon.

He slept a deep and dreamless sleep, waking before Daddy and Josh. It took him a minute to remember why he was surrounded by the solid warmth of other people, but then he caught sight of Josh’s face.

Reaching out for Josh, Noah patted his cheek. “Wake up wake up,” he ordered. When Josh opened his eyes, Noah smiled around his thumb. 

“Hey sunshine,” Josh mumbled, smiling back. He was tired. Looking over at Dave, he felt sympathy for the man. He was completely dead to the world. They’d talked a lot about Noah’s schedule, and with the nightmares, Dave wasn’t getting a lot of sleep. “How about we go downstairs and start breakfast so Daddy can sleep?” he whispered.

Noah bit his lip, “I need-I need Daddy,” he said.

“Can I fix it? Daddy’s tired.”

The baby squirmed, face reddening. “‘m wet.”

“Oh,” Josh said, not sure of what to suggest. He forged ahead. “Noah, Daddy is really tired. Can I change you, just this one time?”

Biting his lip, Noah looked at Daddy, then back at Josh. Daddy was tired. Noah knew that. But he was wet, and-

“Come on,” Josh murmured, standing up and grabbing his pants before picking the baby up lightly. “We’ll talk in the nursery. Let’s let Daddy sleep for at least a few more minutes while you decide.”

Noah nodded, shifting with embarrassment at the feeling of the wet diaper pressing to Josh’s hip. Josh pretended to ignore it, carrying Noah to the nursery and sitting in the rocker. Placing Noah on the floor in front of him, he said, “Just let me know when you make a decision. I’m fine changing you, but if you want Daddy, then we can wake him up.”

“You can,” Noah whispered. 

“Are you sure, cookie? Because it’s totally fine if you want Daddy instead.”

“Daddy’s tired. He needs sleep.”

Josh picked Noah back up, carrying him to the changing table and matter of factly stripping him out of his sleeper. He didn’t talk, letting Noah to decide whether he wanted to have a conversation.

It took Noah a minute, but then he said, “Daddy is tired acause of nightmares.”

“Daddy’s been having nightmares?” Josh asked, rummaging through the basket on the middle shelf and pulling out some diaper cream.

Noah shook his head, “Me...I wakeded him up acause I-I make noises. I don’t mean to. I don’t get ‘em so much no more.”

“Everybody gets nightmares, cookie monster. It’s not a big deal.”

He made eye contact with Josh then, “No. Mine is bad, an’ Daddy can’t sleep acause I wake him up.”

Josh got a clean diaper on Noah, considering that before he asked, “Do you want to talk about what the nightmares are about?”

“Bad stuff. They is scary,” Noah muttered, looking at everything except Josh. “You know how to make pancakes?”

“I do,” Josh told him, pulling Noah to sit up, “but there’s a doughnut place two blocks away. Do you want to try walking and getting everyone some breakfast?”

“Daddy said pancakes?” Noah asked.

“We’ll leave a note. If you want to go,” Josh added. “We can make pancakes if you would rather do that.”

“How long ‘till ever’body wakes up?”

Josh looked at the nearby clock, considering the time everyone had gone to bed. “I’m guessing we have at least an hour or two.”

“I gots to have real pants if we’re going out. I’m ‘llowed to wear big boy clothes when we go outside.”

“Okay,” Josh told him. “What would you like to wear?”

“Down please,” Noah said, allowing Josh to help him hop down, then going over to his drawers. After locating a pair of jeans and a long sleeve, thermal shirt, he went back to Josh and held them out. “Help please.”

“Help please? You have such nice manners this morning,” Josh praised, getting Noah dressed. “Such a handsome little boy! Can you get yourself some socks?” he asked, pulling on the jeans from the day before. 

“Uh huh,” Noah said. “Socks and shoes.”

“Does Daddy keep your coats up here, or are they downstairs?” Josh asked, taking Noah’s shoes and hoisting the boy on his hip.

“Down the stairs. Inna closet,” Noah replied, leaning his head on Josh’s shoulder as he was carried down the stairs. Once they were on the first floor, Josh grabbed both their coats and helped Noah put his shoes on. Scribbling a quick note, they left and started toward the doughnut shop.

After watching Noah bounce around the sidewalk, Josh grabbed his hand and held on. Noah objected to that.

“I can walk by my own self, Josh,” he explained.

Josh shook his head, keeping a firm grip on Noah’s mittened hand. “You can hold my hand, or we’ll go home.”

Noah scowled a little bit at that, but he soon perked up. Josh was talking about doughnuts, and Noah had definite Ideas.

“We need sprinkle doughnuts,” he explained seriously. “I fink Kurt yikes sprinkles.”

“Well, everyone likes sprinkles,” Josh replied sensibly.

“An’ jelly. An’ pumpkin. Do they gots pumpkin?”

“I don’t know. Should we bring home coffee, or should we make coffee at home?”

“At home; Daddy is very partic’lar ‘bout his coffee. I know where the beans are.”

“Do you have juice?” Josh asked, thoroughly charmed by the little boy who was kicking leaves and avoiding cracks in the sidewalk.

“We gots juice. Orange and gwape. An’ maybe a little apple? I fink maybe cider? ‘m not sure. Daddy says too much juice is bad.”

“Yeah, it’ll give you a tummy ache,” Josh said.

Noah nodded, “‘cept he makeded me drink so much juice I was gonna die when I getted sick. Too much juice, ‘til my tummy nearly ‘sploded wif juice.”

“You have to drink a lot of fluids when you’re sick; Daddy says you were pretty icky for a few days there.”

“Uh huh. Uncle Dr. Blaine comed, and he did lots of pokin’. Not fair. An’ then! I getted better! An’ he poked me more!”

It was at that moment that they arrived at the doughnut shop, and Noah quieted down considerably then. Remaining glued to Josh’s side, he answered questions with monosyllables and pointing, until they left with two large boxes of doughnuts.

“We might have too many,” Josh told Noah, who was back to hopping at his side. They couldn’t hold hands because Josh was carrying the boxes, but Noah had been instructed to stay next to Josh.

Noah scoffed at that, “Can’t have too many doughnuts, Josh,” he said, moving toward the edge of the sidewalk.

“Noah,” Josh said, voice very stern, “you stay next to me. Do you remember what we talked about?”

Josh found himself with Noah pressed against his side again. “‘m sorry. I forgetted.”

“Don’t forget again, cookie monster. I don’t want you to get smushed by a car; Daddy would be really mad at me.”

Noah stayed against Josh the rest of the walk home. He tucked his hand into Josh’s belt. He was good. He listened, and he remembered. Mostly.

When they got home, nobody was awake yet, and Noah kind of wanted to wake Daddy up. “I fink he would yike doughnuts, Josh,” he explained.

Josh nodded at that, taking Noah up the stairs and making him change, “I know sweetheart, but Daddy is tired. Can we let him sleep a little bit longer? Please? I promise that I’ll play, and we can have some breakfast.”

Noah sighed, unhappy, but he nodded. “Okay. I let Daddy sleep. He’s tired. Acause I keep him ‘wake wif nightmares.”

“Daddy worries about you. That’s his job,” Josh told him. “Taking good care of their little boys is what daddies do.”

Avoiding eye contact, Noah said, “Oscar is very hungry now.”

Josh nodded, herding the little boy downstairs and getting him set up in his high chair with a cup of juice and a doughnut. After starting the coffee, he sat and talked quietly with Noah.

The baby made it through three doughnuts before Daddy woke up and came downstairs, “Hey sweetheart,” he murmured, stopping to kiss his baby. “Where did you get doughnuts from?”

Noah looked up at him, face messy, and said, “We goed to buy them, Daddy. We leaveded a note, but you sleeped acause you is tired.” Patting Daddy’s hand, Noah added, “Josh telled me to let you sleep, an’ I did.”

“Thank you, bug, that’s very thoughtful,” Daddy told him, looking up at Josh. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Dave asked, tilting his head toward the living room. As soon as they were far enough away that Dave thought Noah wouldn’t be able to overhear, he hissed, “You took him out?”

“I-” Josh was shocked, “He said he liked doughnuts, and you were sleeping. I figured that we would let you sleep.”

“You can’t just take off with him; he’s my kid.”

“I’m sorry,” Josh said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “Really; I wasn’t thinking. I mean, I spent the night last night, and you’re trusting me with him. It’s two blocks, Dave. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

“Well, it is.”

Noah was sitting in his high chair, craning his head to try to follow what was going on. It wasn’t fair to leave him out here by himself.

“Josh!” he called. “I don’t-Out now please.”

Josh was frozen, not sure of what he was supposed to do. Obviously, he’d gotten too comfortable, and he didn’t want Dave to think that he didn’t recognize what he was saying. 

Dave turned, walking to the kitchen and letting Noah out. He was still irritated that Josh had just taken his baby out without even asking. Noah probably didn’t help the situation.

“I wanted Josh,” he said, giving Daddy a look. 

Dave countered with his own Look, and Noah shrank back, “Are you supposed to leave the house without Daddy?”

“I was wif Josh,” Noah said, hands creeping behind his back to cover his butt. That was a big rule. A big, big rule. Even when Noah first got here, he didn’t break that rule because it was very ‘portant. Noah didn’t even know what Daddy was going to do about it.

“Are you supposed to leave without me?” Dave repeated.

“Dave, look, I told him it was okay. I’m sorry; obviously, it wasn’t, and it won’t happen again,” Josh said.

Noah knew this routine. He had been through it before. Daddy would fight with Josh, about something bad that Noah had done, and then Josh would leave and never come back. Except that last time, when his mom made Noah leave instead, the boyfriend always left. It was why it didn’t matter if you liked them or not. He bit his lip hard, determined to not cry like a baby about this. It was his own damn fault for forgetting. Daddy had warned him that going outside without him was a big punishment, and it made sense that even spanking wasn’t enough of a reminder.

Josh and Daddy were going back and forth, about whether Noah should have gone, and Noah wanted to press his hands to his ears and yell at them to stop. But he wasn’t supposed to yell at grown ups. So instead, he turned and went up the stairs. In the nursery, he slid under his crib and cuddled with Oscar, sucking his thumb and rubbing his lip with his blanket. 

He just had to wait, and then Daddy and Josh would stop fighting, and Josh would leave. And he wouldn’t see Josh anymore. Noah blinked back tears at that. This was all his fault. If he’d just told Josh no, that he didn’t want doughnuts, then the grown ups would have to fight. All stupid Noah’s fault, he lectured himself silently. Daddy was wrong; he wasn’t a good boy at all. He was a bad, stupid, thoughtless baby, and he was lucky that Daddy would take care of him anyway. Wanting Josh was just greedy. Burying his face against Oscar’s tummy, Noah pretended that he wasn’t crying. 

“Peanut, what’s wrong?” Uncle Blaine asked. He was stretched out on the floor, looking at Noah.

“Nofing,” Noah told him, looking up. 

Blaine nodded, “Then what are you doing under your crib?”

“I yike it unner here. It’s quiet. An’ there’s no Kurt bein’ mean.”

“It is quiet,” Uncle Blaine agreed. “Quieter than downstairs. It sounds like Daddy and Josh are talking.” He’d started his way downstairs, but he’d heard the rather loud discussion, and decided not to go. He couldn’t believe that Dave hadn’t noticed that the baby was missing.

“Fighting,” Noah corrected. He wasn’t dumb; he knew they were fighting. First came Noah being bad, then the fighting, then Josh would leave.

“Do you know what they’re fighting about?” 

“Josh...Josh said we could get doughnuts? Acause Daddy was sleepin’, and he’s tired acause my nightmares. But Daddy is mad. ‘m not-I thinked that goin’ wif Josh was a good idea acause Daddy was sleepy, but now Daddy’s mad at me, but he’s yellin’ at Josh.”

“Peanut,” Uncle Blaine said, motioning for Noah to come out, “Daddy’s not mad at you. I think he’s upset with Josh.”

“Acause I was bad,” Noah explained seriously. 

“No, baby. Will you come and sit with me?”

“I yike unner the crib.”

“Please?” 

Sighing, Noah crawled back out. Sitting on Uncle Blaine’s lap and staring off into the distance, he said, “‘m a good list’ner. You tell Daddy that? So him and Josh don’t fight no more? Please, Uncle Blaine?”

“Peanut, they’re not fighting because of anything you did,” Blaine soothed.

“I goed wif Josh to get doughnuts. Bad Noah. Not aposed to leave wifout Daddy. I didn’t tell Josh, but I should. Bad, bad Noah.”

“No, Noah. You’re a good boy. You’re being such a good listener, and you’re using your words. And Kurt really upset you yesterday, and you didn’t hit him. You are a good, good little boy, and Daddy and Josh are having a dumb, grown up fight that is not about you. Do you understand?”

“Bad Noah,” he insisted.

“Nope. Good, good, good Noah.”

Kurt walked by then, stopping and looking in the nursery. “Daddy?”

“Hi, baby. Do you and Noah want to play for a little bit while I go downstairs? I think that Uncle Dave and Josh need to have a chat before little boys join them.”

“I don’t-” Kurt looked at Noah, nervous. 

Noah was squirming off of Uncle Blaine’s lap, hugging Oscar and determinedly staring at the floor. “I fink I wanna be unner my crib ‘gain, Uncle Blaine. Okay?”

“Go on, peanut,” Blaine said, standing up. “Kurt, baby, I want you to stay up here and wait for me.”

Kurt nodded, sitting on the floor next to the crib. After a moment, he laid down and pressed his cheek to the floor so he could make eye contact with Noah.

“Baby Noah?” he asked, “You still mad at me?”

Noah scowled at that, “You was bad. An’ you made me very angry. But Josh said no hittin’, so I didn’t. And not baby Noah.”

“‘m sorry,” Kurt mumbled. “I just-you and Uncle Dave could have grown up cuddles, you know? I have ‘em with my Daddy.”

“They is not for babies. Daddy said. He wanted to have ‘em wif Josh, but I was naughty, so now Josh won’t be here no more.”

Kurt furrowed his brow, asking, “Whatcha do?”

Noah turned his face to the wall, done talking to Kurt. Under the crib was a quiet place. Kurt needed to leave him alone so he could be quiet.

Blaine walked into the dining room, crossing his arms over his chest, “Anybody know where Noah is?” he asked, tone conversational. Kurt could have told them that the conversational tone was no good.

Dave looked around, “I-he was just here.”

“He’s in the nursery. Under his crib because it’s nice and quiet there, and he doesn’t have to listen to you fighting. Wanna know why?” He didn’t wait to hear a response, saying, “Because apparently, Noah is a bad kid, and he’s the one who makes everyone fight. Which means Josh is leaving. So maybe the two of you could pull your heads out of your asses and go upstairs to reassure him that everything’s fine.” 

Dave glared at Blaine, starting to argue again with him. Josh intervened, “If he thinks that I’m going, then I need to go upstairs. I get that I shouldn’t have taken him without talking to you first, but-whether you decide that I’m going to be around after today, he needs to understand that it has nothing to do with him.”

He didn’t wait to hear what Dave had to say to that. Even if he got booted out immediately after talking to Noah, it was more important that he do that.

Blaine poured himself a cup of coffee, snaking a doughnut from the box and sitting down. “That boyfriend of yours is a real asshole. He’s all, concerned, about Noah. Why would you even bring him home?”

“He took Noah to get doughnuts while I was sleeping. What if something had happened?”

“Walking to get doughnuts is dangerous,” Blaine allowed. “They’re pretty good, by the way. Have you tried one?”

Dave just glared at him, finally sitting down. “He can’t just do shit like that. He’s not Noah’s Daddy. I’m Noah’s Daddy.”

“Someone decide he wanted Josh and not mean old Daddy?”

“That’s not what this is about!”

Blaine snorted at that, “Dave, this is exactly what Kurt does with me when we come to visit. And once Noah gets more comfortable with me, he’ll do it too. This is what happens. And I can’t believe that you think that more people loving Noah is a bad thing.”

Dave rested his head in his hands, staring at the table. “He shouldn’t have taken him out without talking to me.”

“Probably not, but you’re still overreacting.”

Dave didn’t respond to that, and Blaine pushed over one of the doughnut boxes. “Here. Eat some sugar. It’ll make you feel better.”

Kurt walked in then, eyes lighting up. Daddy never let them eat doughnuts for breakfast! Racing to the table, he grabbed a doughnut and then sat next to Daddy. Cramming a bite in his mouth, he smiled widely.

“Josh is talkin’ to the baby, and it’s private,” he explained, not wanting Daddy to think he’d upset the baby again. “An’ he was mad when I got there.”

In the nursery, Josh was sprawled across the floor, looking at Noah. The baby was refusing to look at him, staring at the wall and focusing on not crying. Josh had come up to say good bye. Noah could be brave, if he just didn’t have to look at him.

“Noah,” Josh murmured. “Can you talk to me, baby?”

“‘m sorry that I didn’t tell you ‘bout the rule. I didn’t know Daddy would get mad; I thought you was a grown up too,” Noah explained quietly.

“It’s okay, cookie monster. I should have thought more. It’s not your fault.”

Sniffling, Noah didn’t respond, and Josh reached a hand out to touch his back, “Not your fault, sweet boy. I swear. You’re a good little boy, and the stuff we were talking about downstairs is about Daddy and me. That’s it. Just grown up stuff. Nothing about you because you’re way too special to make people fight.”

Noah looked at Josh then, his eyes red rimmed, and Josh’s heart broke a little bit. “Will you come out? I’d really like some cuddles with you.”

“You gotta go now?” Noah asked, voice wavering.

“I don’t know, but it doesn’t have anything to do with you. And even if I have to go, I still need some Noah hugs.”

He wiggled out from under the crib, hugging Josh tightly, “‘m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Josh repeated. “Don’t cry, cookie.”

“‘m not crying,” Noah insisted, wiping his face against Josh’s shoulder. “I got allergies.”

“Okay, cookie monster. I just-I want you to understand that nobody is mad at you. You didn’t do anything wrong this morning. I screwed up. Just me, not you.”

“And I overreacted,” Dave said, standing in the doorway. “I’m sorry, Josh. I-I made a bigger deal out of this then I should have.”

Noah looked up at Dave then, a little bit of hope in his eyes. “You not mad no more, Daddy? Acause ‘m really really sorry.”

Before Dave could respond, Josh took Noah’s chin, forcing the boy to make eye contact. “What are you sorry for, cookie monster?”

“Acause I was bad.”

“No you weren’t. What were Daddy and I fighting about?” Josh asked patiently.

“Acause I didn’t tell you no goin’ out wifout Daddy. ‘cept I didn’t know you wasn’t a grown up, but it was still bad.”

“Nope. What did I tell you?”

“Is grown up stuff not ‘bout me,” Noah said softly.

“Josh is right, bug,” Daddy murmured, sitting down on the floor. “Grown ups fight, but it’s not about you.”

“‘cept it was acause I goed wif Josh for doughnuts,” Noah said, face creasing with worry.

“No, it was because Josh probably should have talked to Daddy first, and Daddy probably should have chilled out that Josh made a little mistake,” Dave told him.

“Oh,” Noah said, voice small. After a moment, he said, even more quietly, “Not bad Noah?”

“Not bad Noah because there is no bad Noah,” Dave replied. “And Josh and I fought about only grown up stuff that wasn’t about Noah at all.”

“‘k.” Noah was feeling very little, but he wanted to make sure of one point. “So Josh, he don’t gotta leave?”

“Baby, do you remember what we talked about when you got a little jealous of Kurt? The first time you met him, when he was being cuddly with me?”

“We don’t push in our family; it’s very naughty, and you get a big spankin’,” Noah recited. Daddy had been very clear on that point.

Dave managed to not smile at Noah’s answer. “Yeah, there was that, but do you remember the other thing?”

“You love Kurt and me? Acause you can love lots of people, and love is good so more love is more good.”

“Yeah,” Dave told him, smiling and cupping the boy’s cheek. “My smart boy. Daddy just forgot that for a minute, and he got a little bit jealous when you wanted Josh instead.”

Noah kneeled up then, getting off of Josh’s lap so he could hug Dave tightly around the neck. “I just wanted Josh acause you was mad. I still love you. Promise.”

Dave squeezed him back, wanting to cry a little bit, “I love you, cuddle bug. You know that?”

“Course,” Noah responded. “I sometimes a little bit forget, but I know.”

Dave smiled at Noah, pulling away, “So you’re doing okay now? You understand?”

“Daddy and Josh fighted ‘bout grown up stuff, an’ ‘m a good boy. An’ Daddy loves me lots,” Noah said, smiling cheekily.

“You got it,” Dave responded, licking his thumb and wiping at Noah’s cheek, “Somebody’s got a messy face.”

“Nu uh,” Noah told him. “‘m clean. I had a baff last night.”

“You’ve got sugar all around your mouth. Let’s get that cleaned up,” Dave said, standing up and holding out his hand.

“Josh come too?” Noah asked.

Dave nodded at Josh, “Yeah, he can come too. Come on, bug.”

Noah took Josh’s hand too, squeezing it, “‘mon Josh,” he said, happy to have both men paying attention to him.

Noah was quiet throughout the morning, constantly sitting in Daddy or Josh’s lap or holding onto them. He didn’t want to let go, and Josh actually sat on the floor to play with Kurt so that Noah would play too.

After dinner, everyone left, leaving just Noah and Daddy in the house. It was only 7:00, and Noah had almost three hours until bedtime. He insisted upon taking his bath then though, and after the bath and getting into jammies, he walked over to his chair.

“Daddy? We can talk now?”

“It’s not bedtime,” Dave told him.

Noah’s face fell, and he nodded, “Okay.”

“If you want to though,” Dave told him. “We could. I just wanted to make sure you knew that it wasn’t time for bed yet.”

“I know. I want-I yike the talking part. When we rock, an’ ‘m not in any trouble.” Noah stared at the ground when he said this, deeply embarrassed.

Dave smiled though, sitting in the chair and pulling Noah into his lap. “I like the talking part too,” he murmured, rocking and gently patting Noah’s bottom. He waited; Noah always started when he was ready.

“I yike Josh,” Noah said after a bit. Uncle Blaine said it was important to use your words so people would understand, and Noah really wanted Daddy to understand. So he would talk.

Daddy nodded, rocking, “I like Josh too.”

“I yike Josh, an’ I yike you. An’ if you-you would still be my daddy no matter what? Right? Acause ‘m your Noah now?”

“You’re my Noah for forever,” Dave replied. “You’re my baby.”

“I letted Josh change my diaper,” Noah mumbled, red faced.

“You did?” Dave asked, concerned. “Baby, you didn’t have to do that.”

Noah nodded, “You is tired acause of my nightmares, an’ I wanted you to sleep.”

“Do little boys worry about their daddies?” Dave asked. “I thought it was my job to worry about you.”

“You don’t gotta worry ‘bout me. ‘m fine. An’ you is not sleepin’ ‘nough.”

“You don’t need to worry about me,” Dave told him, kindly but firmly. “You’re the baby. All you need to worry about is doing what you’re told. That’s it.”

Noah didn’t like that, and he couldn’t help but argue a little, “But if’n you’re my Daddy, then I gots to worry ‘bout you. Acause who else is gonna? An’ ‘m a good boy. I do what ‘m told. Mostly.”

“You’re a very good boy, and you do a good job listening to Daddy,” Dave praised.

“‘m gettin’ better at it.”

“You are,” Dave agreed. “You are getting much better at listening to Daddy, and I am so proud of you.”

Noah would not be distracted by praise, “But why come ‘m not ‘llowed to worry ‘bout you? I gots to take care of you.”

“No you don’t,” Dave told him. “I can take care of myself.”

The baby looked at him skeptically then, “If’n you can take care of yourself, then why you don’t? You is not sleepin’ ‘nough. Is why we need Josh. Then you an’ Josh can take care of me, and you take care of Josh, and Josh take care of you.”

“You’ve been thinking about this,” Daddy said noncommittally. “Have you worried about this a lot, cuddle bug?”

“Uncle Blaine telled you to take care of yourself, an’ you look tired, Daddy.”

Dave rocked rubbing Noah’s back, “I’m taking care of myself; you don’t need to worry about it, cuddle bug.”

Noah didn’t like that, but Daddy’s tone was very final. He relaxed into Dave, thinking as he sucked his thumb. He’d just keep working on Josh, and then Josh would worry about this instead.

“Where are you, baby?” Daddy asked, giving Noah a little squeeze.

“‘m here,” Noah said, forcing himself to stop thinking about it for the moment.

“You’re here? Do you want some dessert?” Dave wanted to distract him. There was no reason for him to worry, but Dave knew that wasn’t enough for Noah to just stop. 

Noah nodded eagerly, standing up, he held out his arms, “Carry me, please?” he asked, resting his head on Daddy’s shoulder as he was toted down to the kitchen. Once Daddy had him settled in his high chair with a bowl of pudding, Noah asked, “When is Josh comin’ back to see me?” Josh would help; Noah just knew it. 

Daddy didn’t particularly want to talk about that right now. The weekend had taken a lot out of him, and he wanted to just spend time with his baby for now. Noah wasn’t having it, and he wouldn’t relax until Daddy called Josh and set up another time for him to come over.

“Two days, bug,” Dave said, hanging up the phone.

Noah nodded at that. Josh could take care of Daddy, then Noah wouldn’t have to worry about it.


End file.
